Directed by Jia Zhangke • 2020 • China
From master director Jia Zhangke comes a vital document of Chinese society and its transformation since 1949. Jia interviews three prominent authors—Jia Pingwa, Yu Hua, and Liang Hong—born in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, respectively. In their stories, we hear of the dire circumstances they faced in their rural villages and small towns, and the substantial political effort undertaken to address it, from the social revolution of the ’50s through the unrest of the late ’80s. In their faces, we see full volumes left unsaid. Weaving it all together with his usual brilliance, Jia constructs an indispensable account of a country navigating seismic social change.
Up Next in Directed by Jia Zhangke
-
The Hedonists
Directed by Jia Zhangke • 2016 • China
Starring Han Sanming, Jindong Liang, Yuan WenqianJia Zhangke finds wry tragicomedy and sharp social insight in the story of unemployed Shanxi coal miners whose search for work leads them to surprising places.
-
Ash Is Purest White
Directed by Jia Zhangke • 2018 • China
Starring Zhao Tao, Liao Fan, Diao YinanVisionary director Jia Zhangke’s mesmerizing, decade-plus spanning journey through China’s criminal underworld features a tour-de-force performance from his frequent star Zhao Tao as Zhao Qiao, the swaggering girlfrie...
-
Xiao Shan Going Home
Directed by Jia Zhangke • 1995 • China
Starring Wang Hongwei, Dong Shuzhe, Yao ShengJia Zhangke’s raw yet revelatory student film—in many ways a precursor to his debut feature XIAO WU—stars his frequent on-screen alter ego Wang Hongwei as a young, aimless cook drifting through encounters in Bei...
