Your grandpa reads a magazine and vanishes. What war secrets is he chasing?
An elderly veteran of WWII living in peaceful retirement with his son and the latter's family becomes increasingly lost in wartime memories and reminiscences, much to his son's consternation. One day, an item the old man reads in a magazine prompts him to go off unannounced on a war-related quest. The son goes searching for his father, and in doing so reaches a greater understanding of both the old man and the generation he represents.
Acting
Wang Xueqi's trembling hands say what words cannot.
Direction
Hu Mei lets silence scream louder than any battle scene.
Director
Hu Mei
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
One of post-Cultural Revolution China's rare films to humanize Nationalist veterans, previously demonized in propaganda. Hu Mei risked career suicide.
The magazine prop was authentic 1986 copy of *Popular Cinema*—the issue covering China's first WWII film since 1949. Meta much?
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