Mountains May Depart

Mountains May Depart

Director: Jia Zhangke
Country: China, Japan, France

2015 | 131 min. | Chinese
Subtitles: German, English

Cast_ Zhao Tao, Zhang Yi, Liang Jin Dong, Dong Zijian, Sylvia Chang Screenplay_ Jia Zhangke Camera_ Yu Lik-Wai Producer_ Ren Zhonglun, Jia Zhangke, Nathanaël Karmitz, Liu Shiyu, Shozo Ichiyama Rights_ mk2 Films

A country in upheaval. A woman torn between two men. Jia Zhang-ke’s epic, poetic chronicle of love spanning generations.

1999: China is changing rapidly, people yearn for Western culture and prosperity. The young Tao is no exception. She is courted by Liangzi, a miner, and his best friend Jinsheng, an ambitious businessman. Tao makes the rational, modern choice and opts for the more promising future.

A moving melodrama about the social and emotional costs of globalization and China’s economic rise, unfolding across three time periods: the past, present, and future. ›Mountains May Depart‹, now considered a modern classic, screened in 2015 at three of the world’s most important film festivals: Cannes, Toronto and San Sebastián – an exceptional feat.

Director

Jia Zhang-ke (*1970) is a Chinese director, writer and producer, and the most important cinematic chronicler of his country. His films have received numerous awards at international festivals. They all explore the transformation of Chinese society and its consequences, particularly for young people and the former working class.

Screenings