A New Old Play

Qiu Jiongjiong's visually magnificent new film is a hybrid of fiction, historical reminiscence, and theatre. Its overview of China from the 1930s to the 1980s is filtered through Qiu Yu, a Sichuan opera 'clown' based on the director's own famous grandfather. As Qiu Yu negotiates his entry into Hades, his departing soul reviews his childhood, his performances, tragedies, and political perils.

Drama, History • 2hr 59min