In my opinion, most award-winning Chinese films at international film events are likely to be indie or artistic¹ ones, instead of genre² films. In the case of Black Coal, Thin Ice, the Golden Bear prizewinner at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, my guess was right.

在我看来，能够在国际电影节上获奖的中国电影大都是些独立电影或者文艺片，而非传统的类型片。这部于2月柏林国际电影节上斩获金熊奖的《白日焰火》正好验证了我的猜测。

Set in the time period from 1999 to 2004, the film tells the story of ex-cop Zhang Zili (Liao Fan), now an alcoholic³ security guard, and his ex-partner. When a series of familiar-looking murders begins, they decide to follow up on a previous investigation⁴ of similar murders that ended their careers and shamed them.

该片将时间背景设定在1999至2004年之间，故事围绕从警局退役后，终日以酒度日的保安张自力（廖凡饰）和他昔日的同事展开。在一系列熟悉的连环谋杀案发生之后，二人决定重新调查之前断送他们警察生涯，令他们蒙羞的一个类似案件。

The unadorned, unflattering and raw portrait of a mid-size town in winter in North China, all frozen and covered in thick layers of snow, is what I like most about the film. It provides a perfect setting for such a mystery story.

该片深得我心的一点是：影片朴实无华且准确无误地描述了那座冬日里银装素裹的中国北方中等城市，为这样一个悬疑推理故事搭建了完美的场景。

Liao, the first Chinese to win the Best Actor award at the Berlin Film Festival for his role in the movie, plays Zhang in the classic mold of the sleep-deprived, unshaven, tough detective. His mellow⁵ face may lend itself to comedy, but the film also gives him a chance to show a human side, interpreting big themes like love and betrayal.

作为首位获封柏林影帝的华人演员，廖凡在片中完美诠释了张自力这个无精打采，不修边幅的落魄警察形象，堪称经典。尽管他老成的脸庞可能很适合演喜剧，但该片还让他有机会展现人性的一面，诠释了爱情与背叛等重大主题。

Another acting⁶ highlight falls on Gwei Lun-mei(桂纶镁), who plays a strange, dark lady. She gives the character more depth by blurring⁷ the lines between good and evil.

全片的另一大亮点是桂纶镁的精彩演出，片中她饰演了一位举止奇怪、内心忧郁的女人。她亦正亦邪的演技令该角色更加耐人寻味。

As a salute⁸ to the classic Hollywood film noir, Black Coal, Thin Ice combines bleakness⁹ and pessimism¹⁰ with just the right amount of wry¹¹ humor. And throughout, director-writer Diao Yinan maintains an impressive mood of unease and approaching danger, which carries the film forward.

作为一部向经典好莱坞黑色电影致敬的作品，《白日焰火》将阴郁、悲情与恰到好处的黑色幽默相互融合。而令人称赞的是，在导演兼编剧刁亦男的镜头下，那种不安情绪与险象环生的情节贯穿了整个影片，推动着故事情节的发展。

Although it is a less overtly¹² political film than Jia Zhangke’s recent controversial project A Touch of Sin, Black Coal, Thin Ice does offer a similarly dark and direct portrait of one of the less fashionable corners of China, at a less attractive time of year.

尽管与贾樟柯颇具争议的新片《天注定》相比，《白日焰火》没有前者那样明显的政治色彩。但后者在类似的黑色基调中直接讲述了在那样一个平凡年代，发生在中国一个不起眼角落里的故事。

While the realistic social commentary implied in the film may be something that appealed to the judges in Berlin, it may also drive away a large number of audiences. Then again, if you’re tired of romantic flicks¹³ and no-brainer visual stunts¹⁴, Black Coal, Thin Ice offers some welcome change.

影片对现实社会的诠释获得柏林电影节评审们的青睐，但这也可能令一大部分观众无法买账。如果你对爱情电影或者无需动脑的视觉特效产生审美疲劳，那么《白日焰火》可以给你换个口味。