The film follows a family in the central Chinese city of Chongqing made up of retired policeman Li (He Xingquan), his second wife Zhang (Guan Jiangge) and their two sons from former marriages. Neither of the younger generation are doing too well, with Li’s son Jianjun (Liao Zhong) working long hours as a taxi driver, putting strain on his new marriage, and Zhang’s son Xiaolei (Xu Tao) running wild with a gang of hooligans. After Li is sent the ashes of his ex-wife, he begins the search for a new family burial plot, at the same time trying to hold their lives together.
Acting
He Xingquan's crumpled dignity carries generations of disappointment.
Direction
Sheng Zhimin lets Chongqing's vertical chaos mirror family collapse.
Cinematography
Grimy beauty in cramped corridors and neon-smothered nights.
Director
Sheng Zhimin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot during Chongqing's explosive 2000s growth, the film captures a city literally burying its past under construction. Chinese sixth generation cinema at its most quietly furious.
Sheng Zhimin—Little-known outside festival circuits despite this debut winning multiple awards. The film's obscurity mirrors its themes of erasure.
CN
