

A movie fan escapes from a labour camp during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and strikes up a relationship with a homeless female vagabond.
Direction
Zhang Yimou at his most personal and politically defiant.
Cinematography
Gobi Desert as beautiful, unforgiving character.
Acting
Liu Haocun's debut—feral, heartbreaking, star-making.

Director
Zhang Yimou
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Zhang Yimou lived through the Cultural Revolution; this was pulled from Berlinale 2019 for 'technical difficulties'—read: political sensitivity.