You are here:

Our Shining Days

Name: Our Shining Days
Director: Wang Ran
Released: 2017
Duration: 103 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

2017

Director

Wang Ran

Runtime

103 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Our Shining Days stands out by using musical competitions as a metaphor for cultural preservation. The central conflict between a traditional Chinese orchestra and a Western-style club transforms a typical youth drama into a nuanced exploration of identity. While the film effectively highlights Eastern cultural ability to act against Western dominance, it lacks depth in other areas such as LGBTQ+ or disability representation. Its strength lies in its cultural positioning and critique of Western cultural hegemony.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Our Shining Days have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film centers on the struggles of a musical ensemble but does not include explicit queer narratives or non-cisgender identities in the main storyline.

How does Our Shining Days portray gender?

Fair

Female students play a significant role in the story, showcasing their leadership and perseverance within the high school setting.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Our Shining Days?

Good

The film emphasizes ethnic identity by focusing on a Chinese orchestra, highlighting Eastern ability to act and non-Western cultural forms.

How does Our Shining Days represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative challenges the dominance of Western aesthetic standards by emphasizing the importance of preserving traditional arts against globalization.

Does Our Shining Days include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no indication of characters with visible or invisible disabilities in the narrative.

Present on Screen

Emphasizes ethnic and cultural identity through traditional music.
Uses musical rivalry to critique Western cultural dominance.
Highlights local heritage and non-Western cultural ability to act.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit LGBTQ+ representation or queer narratives.
Does not include characters with disabilities.
Gender dynamics follow standard coming-of-age storylines.

Official Synopsis

A youth inspirational film, about how a group of high school students try to revive Chinese orchestra ensemble. They face many challenges along the way to compete nationally, including a rivalry with the more popular Western orchestra club.

How are these scores produced? →