The home village of director Jia Zhang-ke in the Chinese province of Shanxi is the setting of a meeting of prominent Chinese writers and scholars. Thus starts a film symphony in eighteen chapters, mapping the Chinese society since 1949. We listen to three narrators, writers born in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s respectively. They speak about their experience with literature as well as with everyday life, painting a portrait of seven decades of Chinese history.

Jia Zhang-ke

The screenwriter and director is a leading personality of Chinese cinema. His first three, independently produced films were considered underground by the official structures. Only his fourth film The World was accepted by the government. Still Life earned him a Golden Lion at Venice IFF, confirming his reputation of one of today's most distinguished filmmakers.