Synopsis

The leading "clown" role in a renowned theatre troupe passes on, and is welcomed into the Underworld. As he relives his vivid memories one last time before entering the afterlife, fifty years of art, struggle and love play out against the background of 20th-century China’s tumultuous history.

Director’s bio

QIU Jiongjiong (born 1977) is an active contemporary artist and filmmaker in China.As an artist, his works have been exhibited all over the world. As a filmmaker, hisexperiments with cinematic language and aesthetics in documentary film-makinghave earned him a reputation as one of China's most important independentdirectors. His experimental/documentary feature MR. ZHANG BELIEVES (2015),premiered at Locarno Film Festival and has been screened internationally. A NEWOLD PLAY(2021) as his first fiction feature, won Special Jury Prize at Locarno,Firebird Award for Best Film and FIPRESCI Prize at HKIFF and Young Jury Awardat Festival des 3 Continents among others.

Curator Note

Festival & Awards

2021

• The 74th Locarno Film Festival, Special Jury Prize & Junior Jury Prize-Second Prize

• The 43rd Festival des 3 Continents, Young Jury Award

• The 18th Golden Apricot International Film Festival, Special Mention of International Full Length Competition

• The 14th Asia Pacific Screen Awards-Nomination of Best Cinematography

• The 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Firebird Award (Best Film) & FIPRESCI Prize

Casts

Tao Gu, Sicheng Yi, Nan Guan, Zhimin Qiu, Xuchun Xue, Gang Xu

Credits

Editing by Jiongjiong Qiu