Last Train Home (2009)

[bunniefuu]

There are over million migrant workers in China.

They go home only once a year, during Chinese New Year.

This is the world's largest human migration.

LAST TRAIN HOME

A film by
Lixin Fan

Winter

Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Go rest, I can do this.

-Finished?
-Yes.

There won't be any tickets at the station.

Are you sure?

Well, you might find standing room tickets.

Of course I'm right.

They all sell the same tickets.

Make sure to check the refund ticket booth.

We'll have to wait until the holiday
starts before looking for tickets.

-It will be too late then.
-We don't have a choice.

Did you get your report card?

-Yes I did.
-Did you do well?

So-so.

So-so?
You have to keep studying hard.

We didn't get tickets yet.
It will take a few more days.

I'll call you when we get the tickets.

Qin?

Qin, are you there?

Qin?

Tickets for the next two days are sold out.
You should ask at other centers.

They may still have tickets for sale.

Did you get them?

Did you inquire about all the trains?

Nothing left?
What do we do now?

We have been trying for a week now.

The kids keep asking when we will get home.

The New Year is a few days away.

Tomorrow is the tenth.
There are only five days left.

Add on two days
onboard the train...

We won't make it home in time
if we don't get tickets now.

It's harder to get tickets this year.

We'll have to try and buy expensive tickets now.

It's difficult to buy tickets anywhere.

I will be happy to see my kids.
I've been away for far too long.

When we are home...

we don't even know what to say to the kids.

Huilong Village, Sichuan Province

kilometers northwest of Guangzhou

In our village, only the elderly
stay at home.

Almost all the young people
have left.

They leave to find work.

I started high school last year.

Dropouts who work in the factories
always come home for the New Year.

So now...

...some of my classmates are still in school,
but most have left.

You should eat more meat.

You need to make a study plan.

List out how many
assignments you have...

...and see what you need to
complete each day.

Eat more and you will walk faster.

But fat people
can't walk fast.

Attention passengers, tickets for
this week are all sold out.

Please stop lining up at the
ticket booths,

and seek alternative means
of transportation.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Returned Ticket Booth

Two tickets cost yuan.

Finally we have them.

Keep moving.
Why are we stuck?

Oh no!
There is no room for our luggage!

There are no racks for our bags.

Be careful, It will fall.

Someone might get hurt.

We were so eager to leave home
sixteen years ago.

We wanted to get on the train and go...

...find a good job
and make money.

We were very poor when we
left home in the 's.

On the day we left,
my mom held my baby.

Qin was only one year old.
I was crying when I left.

I didn't want to leave her
but I had no choice.

The last time I held Qin
was at my mother's place.

They all said I should stay home
until Qin grew a little older.

I didn't say a word.

I hardened my heart
and left with my husband.

I had no choice.
That's life.

Every time I received a letter
from home, I would cry.

I always cried.

Every time I received
a letter from my father.

I would cry and I couldn't eat anything.

I would have to eat before reading
a letter from home.

Otherwise I couldn't eat anything.

-When did you guys get back?
-A few days ago.

Yang!

Qin!

Daddy!

-Where is your brother?
-He's playing.

Cool phone!

Do you have games on it?

-The phone is for your sister.
-I want to play first.

-Qin, do you like it?
-I like it.

Thanks, dad.

Everyone worked so hard.

-I will listen to you, grandma.
-Thank you for looking after us.

I hope you all study hard.

Look at your uncle.
He went to university and left the farm.

You have to do better than him.

Your parents should benefit
from your success.

Yang is a good boy.

You only placed fifth in your class.
Last year you placed third.

-Sixth or Fifth?
-Fifth!

I just have one wish:
Qin and Yang will study hard.

Just that one wish.

We never complain,
no matter how hard it is.

Don't cry, mom.

Dad works far away from home.
I can only speak to you on the phone.

Dad doesn't have as high
an education as you.

There are things I don't
know how to tell you.

I hope both of you study hard.

So you succeed when you grow up.

There is nothing more that
I can do.

Except for making money to support you.

You should avoid anything
that will harm your study.

Come help me carry this.

-Let me carry this.
-I'll lift it up for you.

-Be careful.
-Yes.

We had a hard life back then.

But who doesn't want their children
to live a good life?

One can only leave the countryside
if they study hard.

Life was tough back then.
We never had enough eat.

We had holes in our clothes.

At that time, I wanted to leave the countryside.

But the country needed farm labor.

School children like me were asked to
stay on the farm.

We were called to support the agriculture.

Otherwise, I would not have stayed here.

Grandpa...

I'm doing well.

I just don't want to
see mom and dad.

We don't get along.

You must know.

I may not come to see you
for a long time.

I will ask little brother to
burn spirit money for you.

While I'm away,
visit Grandpa's grave for me.

I won't come back often and
I don't want to.

This is a sad place.

Eat your bitter melons, Yang.
So you won't get pimples.

-Really?
-Yes, bitter melon is good for you.

-I'll have a little.
-Eat more.

Taste the bitterness first,
the sweetness will follow.

And then you will know which is better.

Why don't the mosquitoes bite you?

Of course they don't bite me.

That's because she is not dirty.

They do not bite me
for I have been a hardworking woman.

Yang will buy us a big house
in the city one day.

There are still mosquitoes.

Xintang City, Guangdong Province

A good friend of mine worked here.

She told me the factory was recruiting
and asked me to come.

That's how I got here.

I thought it would be good
to work in a factory.

But I can't really get used to it here.

And I have no other friends besides her.

Is life good here?

After all, freedom is happiness.

I'm so worried.

I'd rather work harder
than have Qin drop out of school.

These are for export.

Some jeans are huge.
You can fit two people in them.

The waistline is inches.

Have you ever seen a Chinese
with a inch wasteline?

Foreigners with wastelines this huge.

-Americans are fat.
-Fat and tall so they need big pants.

I just had my dinner.

-You're worried you'll get fat.
-You need to eat more.

But I'm afraid of getting fat.

-Don't worry, you won't.
-What if I do?

The supervisor joked with us today.

He asked the workers
who hasn't had their first kiss?

What kind of question is that?

If I was there I would say...

You lost it a long time ago.

Don't be afraid of the supervisor.
Take it easy.

He will yell at me again.

I came here to work when I was

I send all the money I make back home.

Work is tiring but you make your own money.

When you're at school
you ask your parents for money.

School was like a cage.
You couldn't go any where.

Work is tiring, but that doesn't mean
you don't want to work.

It's painful, but still better than being at school.

You think you are the only
one who needs to work?

Do you think we are sleeping
during working hours?

When I read, I get dizzy.
The words just turn to a blank page.

-I get angry thinking about the supervisor.
-Forget about him.

-Me?
-I'm not telling you.

Leave one factory to end up in another.

You are going to open your own business.

-What about the cost?
-Let's just roam around the world.

It fits you well.

Do you think these were made in our factory?

No, they are a different brand.

We can't find our brand anywhere.

How do I look?

Like a Barbie doll.
Foreigners all look like that.

Your grandpa is better than
your parents?

My parents didn't raise me,
my grandpa did.

I lived with him since I was little.

My parents barely lived with me.
How can there be any feelings?

They wanted you to have a better life,
so they left to make money to raise you.

All they care about is money.

I know I have bad temper,
and I blame her a lot.

I regret blaming her.

The one who should be studying
is not at school.

How could she do this?

Qin, how are you?

-Are you on holiday?
-Have a seat.

-Did you eat yet?
-Yes I did.

-What about you?
-Not yet.

How come you have time
to visit me today?

-Don't you have work today?
-I still have a lot of work to do.

Mom dreamed that you told her
your work is tiresome

and you wanted her to
take you home.

So she asked me to come
and see you.

How come?
I'm not tired, just drowsy.

I always wanted to come and see you,
but never had the time.

I never thought I'd see you here.

You always said you would never
come and see me.

That's right.

-So what's your plan now?
-I don't know.

I really don't.
I'll wait and see.

You are going on ,
you still want to wait and see?

That's right.

Think it over.
What do you want to do?

You shouldn't be like us.

First you quit school.
Now you sew clothes.

-It is bad for your eyes.
-My eyes are fine.

Really?

Yes, they are.
How else am I working?

You should think things over.

Think it through carefully.

I told your brother I wanted
you to go back to school.

And he said: "yes,
ask sister to come back home."

-He misses me?
-Of course.

But we'll fight again,
when I'm back home.

Your mother wanted to come,
but she gets car sick.

I get car sick too.

You don't have to come
if you're going to get car sick...

-But we were worried about your.
-I should have told you not to come.

Qin.

How are you doing?
Still working?

Trimming thread?
Your factory is not on holiday yet?

Your mom is here.
Talk to her.

She doesn't want to talk to me.
Don't force her.

Don't worry.

-Qin.
-Mom.

How have you been?

How are you doing?

Still trimming threads?

You understand how hard
it is to make money now?

Qin.

We called because...

...your father wanted to tell you...

...we're going back home
for the New Year.

Will you come back home with us?
Maybe go back to school?

Right?

Have you decided yet?

Still need a few days?
Right, you should think it over.

Qin!

Are you there?

Qin, are you still sleeping?

Fold it twice.

Or it won't fit.

Are these your bed covers?

Follow me.

Be careful.

Do you think this is funny?

Why don't people line up?

No one is getting through.

-Where are you going?
-I give up. I'm going back home.

Where to?

Heading back.
I'm not taking the train any more.

I can't stand it any more.

This way is blocked,
we have to go by the small gate over there.

Blocked?
Are there still trains coming?

Not a single train is coming.

No trains?

-We waited for five hours.
-And now they tell us there are no trains.

Where is Qin?

Don't push.

Stop pushing!

Stop pushing!

-Which way should we go?
-What's going on?

Attention, please,
Mr. Zeng Tianxian from Hubei province...

...your friends are waiting for you
at hall , gate .

Attention passengers, the railway system is
still under recovery.

Please be patient,
and remain orderly.

Please remain orderly.
Don't push.

Move foward! Step up!

Hold together.

Come forward from the back.

My men will hold this side,
your officers will hold the other side.

The snow storm cut off
the electric grid in Hunan province.

And since all trains run on
electricity, you know...

All we can do is wait
until further notice.

But there have been
no announcements yet.

Some people have been
waiting a week.

They have been waiting at
the station for a week.

They probably will not
make it home.

This is no laughing matter.
Do you find this funny?

I don't know anyone else
who would find this amusing.

No one.
It is a pitiful situation.

We are sad and worried we won't make it
home for New Year.

You have not tasted
the bitterness of life.

Think about it from your dad's view,
and you won't think this is funny.

Every time we talk to you,
you get grumpy.

Whatever.
You are always right anyway.

It is not about me being right or wrong,
don't be like that.

I told you befere.
I don't care what you say.

Then who will you listen to?

Nobody.

Su Qin. Su Qin.

Come and help with the suitcase.

Stop.
Don't climb.

-We've been waiting for days.
-Hand me the bags.

We have been here for five days.

-It's useless to climb over.
-So when will the trains arrive?

Look at the crowd.
You will never make it through.

I know it is difficult,
but I need to try.

Can you see your father?

Let's climb over.
Where's your father?

-Did you find your father?
-No.

Stay by the fence.

Stay here.
He'll come find us.

There's nothing to eat here.

You keep moving us from one side
to the other.

Calm down please.

My little girls are inside.
What should I do?

Please don't yell.
We haven't rested for two days.

-Calm down.
-I have my ticket here.

I must go in.
I have to find my two girls.

Why are you doing this to me?

Today, you work
behind the fence.

Tomorrow, you'll be standing
here in my shoes.

Stop.

My daughter is inside.

It is no use climbing over.

Let her sit.

Where's my sister?

Please help my sister.

Go that way.

Use the door
at the other end.

Push.

Don't push.

Watch your hand.

Be careful, Qin.
Watch your hand.

-Which way?
-Go that way.

Last year when I went home,
it took a week by bus.

-Going home from Guangzhou?
-Yes.

The bus kept breaking down.

It took us more than a week.

We left on the th...

...but arrived at the same time
as those leaving after us.

February nd, Beijing time...

...Houston Rockets beat the
Indiana Pacers to .

The first time in years,
they won six games in a row.

This season is already half over.
Now they are fighting for the playoffs.

The Rockets now rank fourth.

Yao is the hope for Chinese basket ball.
We are all looking to him now.

I hope China wins the most
gold medals in the Olympics.

China is very big.
With billions of people.

How can we not beat the USA?
They only have a few million people.

It would be a shame.

Qin.

Do you want to eat?
Mom bought lunch.

No.

You need to eat.
We also have snacks in bag.

Our company makes racquets.

But they are all foreign brands.

Prince, Head,
all American brand names.

China doesn't have its own brands.

We are just a big manufacturer.

The western countries order from us,
we make the goods.

The export price is amazingly low.

Including our factory owners,
we only make a petty margin.

Let me tell you about the westerner's lifestyle.

Take myself for example.

If I make yuan a month,
I need to save yuan.

But when foreigners
make a month,

they will spend all .

If not more.

The train is just too slow.

I thought we would arrive yesterday.
The train is just too bloody slow.

My son was born three months ago,
I haven't even seen him yet.

I am going home to see him.

Finally, I get to spend New Year's
holiday with them.

It's all for our children, our aged parents...
That's life.

We work far away from home.

The old and young are still in the village.

If the family can't even celebrate
the New Year together.

Life would be pointless.

My husband first came out with
my cousin to find work in Guangzhou.

Together with my brother.

They couldn't find work
for the longest time.

They could only afford
one meal a day.

My husband would share
his only meal with my brother.

And later, he fell sick
with a bad cough for a month.

He eventually told me
but hid it from me for a long time.

He had a very bad cough
and he didn't go see a doctor.

Seeing a doctor was too costly.

We were penniless when my wife
gave birth to Qin.

We went to borrow money
from my sister...

So I went to borrow money,
but she wouldn't lend it to me.

She had just sold a pig,
and all I wanted was yuan.

I told her I would find work
and pay her back.

She wouldn't give it to me
until I swore I'd return it.

She was afraid we
could not pay back the money.

Yes, it's Chongqing.
It looks like it.

Chongquing Municipality

Where is Yang, my boy?

How's your studies?
Let me see your report card.

Let's take a look at your marks son.

You ranked fifth in the class?
You should have done better.

Which test didn't go well?

You didn't do well in literature?

There are three exams.

Work hard on all subjects.

I don't want to work too hard.

What?

Nothing.

You don't want to work hard?

Do well in school,
it will benefit you when you grow up.

It's for your own good.

-When did your holiday start?
-A few days ago.

Qin is much taller now.

You've grown.
You're a big girl now.

It's only because of my shoes.

Your grandma looked after
both of you for all these years.

She looked after you for years.

You should listen to your grandma.

A peasant's child must study hard.

Otherwise you will end up like us.

I want to quit my job to stay
home and take care of you.

-No.
-Why not.

I've made up my mind.
I will stay.

Don't worry, brother.
She won't stay home for you.

What do you mean?

You keep saying you will
but never do anything.

-You said...
-You never meant to look after us.

Remember what you told us
a few years back?

Do you still remember
your own words?

What did I say?

That day at the market...

Tell me.

...I said mom wants to stay home
to look after you.

And you said you didn't want her to.

You never meant to
look after us.

-You have never done anything for us.
-What do you mean?

Let's not fight.

You think you are all grown up.

Tell me what I should do.

-How would I know?
-Tell me.

I don't care.

Look at you.
Have you achieved anything?

I've done nothing.
So what?

All you know is how
to waste money.

Yes that's right.
I don't care.

-Is that true?
-Yes.

-Then get out of my house.
-I'll walk out of your f*cking house.

How dare you say "f*ck"!

How can you hit your father?

-You think only you can fight?
-How can you hit your father?

I tolerated you all these years.

Why do you curse all the time?

How dare you?
Tell me.

-I tolerated you all these years.
-What do you want?

-How dare you say "f*ck"?.
-So what if I did?

How could you disrespect your father?

Just because he tolerated you
all these years.

Who did you say "f*ck" to?
Tell me.

You want to film the real me?
This is the real me.

What else do you want?

Tell me.
What are you doing?

What do you want?
I haven't done anything.

How can you say "f*ck"
to your own father?

I was never
good enough for him.

He said grandpa died
because of me.

How was it my fault?

Still, you must not
disrespect your father.

But he started it by
talking about grandpa.

-But you shouldn't say "f*ck".
-Why not?

Say it again.

f*ck!

We were all very worried
when you left school.

While others were sending their kids to school.
I was packing for you to leave school.

It was all wrong.

There are many difference paths.
She can do whatever she wants.

Being a parent is difficult.
Kids have their own mind as they grow up.

She can do as she wishes.
We won't force her.

She is on her own.
We cannot force her.

Buddha,
please bless my children.

Make sure they do their homework,
listen to their parents.

No sneaking around the kitchen.

I will come back and pray again.

We will come back to pray next year.

Buddh, please bless my girl.

I don't know what
I have done wrong.

But please bless my daughter,
protect her from harm.

I'll come back and pray.

You can't do anything without money.

Going to Shenzhen...
I don't really have a plan.

First I shall have some fun.
Then I will look for work.

I don't know if I realize my
dreams in Shenzhen.

You need to be courteous
to the customers.

Be smart,
understand?

Customers are always right.

Teamwork is always right.

The boss is always right.

We are the champions of entertainment
and teamwork!

We are number one!

Throw them over there.

Let's do the other side
of the field.

The land is dry.

Your legs are all muddy.

Let's finish up
and go home.

, , ...

The flame of the Olympic torch
lights up Beijing's night skyline...

...a beautiful Chinese scroll painting unfolds
in the middle of the stadium...

...telling a deep and exquisite ancient tale...

...friends from around the world will
marvel at the splendid heritage...

...and the richness of the Chinese culture.

I can see you are in pain.

Do you have pain
in the chest?

Let's get you some food.

Drink some water.

Are you feeling better?

I still have to go back to work.
I need to finish today's order.

If you finish it tonight,
we will have less to do tomorrow.

You have not eaten all day.

I am afraid you won't be better tomorrow.

World financial crisis

Many big exporting factories
have closed in Dongguan.

When the factories are closed,
workers fail into despair.

Many have lost their jobs.

We have no unemployment insurance,
no welfare, nothing.

We don't need
a lot of money.

Just enough to
live a better life.

To have enough to support
ourselves when we grow old.

I feel my hands are
much slower this year.

Especially the past few years
I can't stay up during night shifts.

We are getting old.
Aging is unmerciful.

You kept asking
me to go back home.

Who doesn't want to see
their kids well and prosperous?

But we all have our own dilemma.

I feel the same too.

We place all our hopes on the kids.

You don't say it.
But I know what's on your mind.

Grandma is old, she can't
look after the kids forever.

Yang is in middle school now.
I have to go back.

We can't let what happened with Qin
happen to Yang as well.

I worry about you.

Now the entire family is on your shoulders.
It is too much of a burden.

I worry about the kids
but I also worry about you working alone.

I can only choose to be in one place.

Don't do too much farm work.

Just grow some rice for the family.

Hang on to your ticket.