Digging to China

m

{{Short description|1997 American drama film}}

{{Short description|1997 American drama film}}

{{Infobox film

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}{{Infobox film

| name = Digging to China

| name = Digging to China

| image = DiggingToChina.jpg

| image = DiggingToChina.jpg

==Production notes==

==Production notes==

The film was shot in [[Cherokee, North Carolina]]. The classroom setting was filmed in [[Whittier, North Carolina]].

The film was shot in [[Cherokee, North Carolina]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cherokee, NC - Mac's Indian Village Cabins - Page 2 |url=https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6948 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=RoadsideAmerica.com |language=en}}</ref> The classroom setting was filmed in [[Whittier, North Carolina]].

The soundtrack includes "[[One Big Love]]" by [[Patty Griffin]], "[[Last Train to Clarksville]]" by [[The Monkees]], "Mas Que Nada" by [[Sérgio Mendes|Sérgio Mendez and Brazil '66]], "Iko Iko" by [[The Dixie Cups]], "Soul Sauce" by [[Cal Tjader]], "[[Crimson and Clover]]" by [[Tommy James and the Shondells]], "El Lobo" by [[Herb Alpert]], "Samba Pa Ti" by [[Carlos Santana]], and "Magic Carpet Ride" by [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]].

The soundtrack includes "[[One Big Love]]" by [[Patty Griffin]], "[[Last Train to Clarksville]]" by [[The Monkees]], "Mas Que Nada" by [[Sérgio Mendes|Sérgio Mendez and Brazil '66]], "Iko Iko" by [[The Dixie Cups]], "Soul Sauce" by [[Cal Tjader]], "[[Crimson and Clover]]" by [[Tommy James and the Shondells]], "El Lobo" by [[Herb Alpert]], "Samba Pa Ti" by [[Carlos Santana]], and "Magic Carpet Ride" by [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Songs from Digging to China |url=https://sweetsoundtrack.com/Movies/digging-to-china-1998 |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=sweetsoundtrack.com}}</ref>

The film premiered at the [[Giffoni Film Festival]] on July 16, 1997.

The film premiered at the [[Giffoni Film Festival]] on July 16, 1997.<ref name="giffoniawards" />

==Critical reception==

==Critical reception==

In his review in ''[[The New York Times]]'', Stephen Holden said the film "doesn't grab at the heartstrings and strum an aggressively mawkish ballad. In fact, it could do with a bit more heart. Part of the problem is Ms. Wood's Harriet. The young actress is radiantly photogenic, but her performance is muted and monochromatic ... Without an incandescent performance at its center, ''Digging to China'' follows the same path as Harriet's balloon escape. It gets stuck in the trees."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/091198digging-film-review.html ''The New York Times'' review]</ref>

In his review in ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Stephen Holden]] said the film "doesn't grab at the heartstrings and strum an aggressively mawkish ballad. In fact, it could do with a bit more heart. Part of the problem is Ms. Wood's Harriet. The young actress is radiantly photogenic, but her performance is muted and monochromatic ... Without an incandescent performance at its center, ''Digging to China'' follows the same path as Harriet's balloon escape. It gets stuck in the trees."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holden |first=Stephen |date=1998-09-11 |title='Digging to China': Two Innocents Trapped in an Indifferent Reality |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/091198digging-film-review.html |access-date= |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

Peter Stack of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' called it a "cloying, superficial story [that] ends up forced and predictable ... Bacon's portrayal of Ricky, who is disabled by a nerve disease that contorts his body and face, ranges from adequate to almost touching. But it's the desperate, contrived storytelling that makes the film a chore to watch ... [its] saving grace is that it's lush and visually attractive."<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1998/09/11/DD10217.DTL ''San Francisco Chronicle'' review]</ref>

Peter Stack of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' called it a "cloying, superficial story [that] ends up forced and predictable ... Bacon's portrayal of Ricky, who is disabled by a nerve disease that contorts his body and face, ranges from adequate to almost touching. But it's the desperate, contrived storytelling that makes the film a chore to watch ... [its] saving grace is that it's lush and visually attractive."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Stack |first=Peter |date=September 11, 1998 |title='Digging' Never Gets Very Deep |url=https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Digging-Never-Gets-Very-Deep-2991683.php |access-date= |work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |language=en}}</ref>

In the ''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'', Walter Addiego described it as "an uneasy mixture of afterschool special and art-house project" and "well-intentioned but ultimately sentimental" and added, "It nonetheless offers some good performances and nice, low-key observations about the predicament of outsiders ... Considering the material, Hutton should be commended. There's just enough going on in ''Digging to China'' to suggest real directorial talent, and I hope he can build on this foundation."<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1998/09/11/WEEKEND3058.dtl ''San Francisco Examiner'' review]</ref>

In the ''[[San Francisco Examiner]]'', Walter Addiego described it as "an uneasy mixture of afterschool special and art-house project" and "well-intentioned but ultimately sentimental" and added, "It nonetheless offers some good performances and nice, low-key observations about the predicament of outsiders ... Considering the material, Hutton should be commended. There's just enough going on in ''Digging to China'' to suggest real directorial talent, and I hope he can build on this foundation."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Addiego |first=Walter |date=1998-09-11 |title=Hutton on right path in "Digging to China' |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/hutton-on-right-path-in-digging-to-china-3070801.php |work=[[San Francisco Examiner]]}}</ref>

==Awards and nominations==

==Awards and nominations==

| [[Kevin Bacon]]

| [[Kevin Bacon]]

| {{won}}

| {{won}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|<ref name=giffoniawards>{{cite web|url=https://www.giffonifilmfestival.it/en/vincitori-premi-1997.html|title=Giffoni Film Festival 1997 – 20.27 July: Winners & Prizes|publisher=[[Giffoni Film Festival]]|access-date=September 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220918094227/https://www.giffonifilmfestival.it/en/vincitori-premi-1997.html|archive-date=September 18, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|<ref name="giffoniawards">{{cite web |title=Giffoni Film Festival 1997 – 20.27 July: Winners & Prizes |url=https://www.giffonifilmfestival.it/en/vincitori-premi-1997.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220918094227/https://www.giffonifilmfestival.it/en/vincitori-premi-1997.html |archive-date=September 18, 2022 |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=[[Giffoni Film Festival]]}}</ref>

|-

|-

| Campania Regional Council Award

| Campania Regional Council Award

| ''Digging to China''

| ''Digging to China''

| {{won}}

| {{won}}

| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web|title=Awards List 1998|url=https://facets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CICFF15_Awards_1998.pdf|publisher=[[Chicago International Children's Film Festival]]|access-date=August 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819040933/https://facets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CICFF15_Awards_1998.pdf|archive-date=August 19, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

| style="text-align:center;"|<ref>{{cite web |title=Awards List 1998 |url=https://facets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CICFF15_Awards_1998.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819040933/https://facets.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CICFF15_Awards_1998.pdf |archive-date=August 19, 2022 |access-date=August 19, 2022 |website=[[Chicago International Children's Film Festival]]}}</ref>

|-

|-

|}

|}

[[Category:American coming-of-age drama films]]

[[Category:American coming-of-age drama films]]

[[Category:Films about children]]

[[Category:Films about children]]

[[Category:Films about disability in the United States]]

[[Category:Films about intellectual disability]]

[[Category:Films about intellectual disability]]

[[Category:Films produced by John Davis]]

[[Category:Films produced by John Davis]]

[[Category:1990s English-language films]]

[[Category:1990s English-language films]]

[[Category:1990s American films]]

[[Category:1990s American films]]

[[Category:Films about disability]]