The Chinese Features At 2023 Cannes Film Festival

Chinese Films At The Cannes Film Festival 2023

2023年戛纳电影节上的中国电影[Gā nà]

After the announcement of 2023 Cannes's official selections, two distinct Chinese feature films have brought filmmakers and stars from China and Asia back to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year. Let's take a look at these Chinese feature films that premiere at the 76th Cannes Festival which takes place from May 16 to 27, 2023 in Cannes, France.

Two Chinese Features In Un Certan Regard Selection At Cannes 2023

两部中国故事片入围戛纳“一种关注”单元[Yī zhǒng guān zhù]

The following two Chinese feature films become the contenders for the 2023 Cannes's Un Certain Regard Prize, as well as this year's Jury Price at the festival. And the winner is known to be announced at the closing ceremony on May 26, 2023 at Cannes.

Cannes May 20: "Only The River Flows"

Wei Shujun's Noir Thriller Selected By Cannes' Un Certain Regard

2023年5月20日戛纳首映：《河边的错误》[Hé biān de cuò wù]

The Chinese noir thriller "Only The River Flows" (aka. He Bian De Guo Wu in Chinese Pinyin) directed by WEI Shujun has been selected in the "Un Certain Regard" of the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. It is also the young Chinese director's third feature to premiere at Cannes since "Striding into the Wind" picked in the 2020 Cannes Label and "Ripples of Life" screened in the 2021 Directors' Fortnight, and also his first time to encounter with the noir film making.

Adapted from the iconic novella namesake by the famous Chinese writer YU Hua written in 1988, 'Only The River Flows' is the first celluloid-shot Chinese film from Mainland China in recent years (after WANG Lin's 'Venus By Water' in 2021 Cannes' Queer Palm Selection and YANG Chao's 'Crosscurrent' in 2016 at Birlin International Film Festival). The stunning shot on the super-grainy 16mm makes the picture much closer to the impression of a small town in China in the 1990s.

As the celluloid texture brings people back to the early period, a middle-aged police chief MA Zhe (ZHU Yilong) heads up an investigation on a bizarre murder that took place by the river, which however leads him to a dreadful predicament. The chill and absurdity increasingly wrapped around him and even the whole town.

The film noir is considered by FRIEZE, the leading magazine and platform for modern and contemporary art in UK, as one of The Best Films at Cannes 2023 with other five, and also by Screendaily as one of 15 potential breakout titles from Cannes 2023.

The Un Certain Regard Title 'Only The River Flows' will be distributed in mainland China by Lian Ray Pictures, Ad Vitam will distribute the title in France since December of the year, and Picturehouse Entertainment has taken its UK and Ireland rights for the title.

May 21th Cannes: "The Breaking Ice"

Anthony Chen's Chinese Feature Selected By Cannes' Un Certain Regard

2023年5月21日戛纳首映：《燃冬》[Rán dōng]

Singaporean filmmaker Anthony CHEN's First Mainland Chinese Feature "The Breaking Ice" (aka. Ran Dong in Chinese Pinyin) premieres in Un Certain Regard at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, after his directorial feature 'llo llo' winning the 2013 Cannes' Golden Camera (Caméra d'Or) Prize.

Three young people were quickly bonded by a tour in the small town of the northeast China, their fascinating relationship from getting close in an icy world to apart separately as much as like the process of water frozen into ice at cold temperatures which then rapidly melted into water again due to the sunshine or heating up.

The HollywoodReporter Critics picked 'The Breaking Ice' as one of the 20 Best Films of Cannes 2023.

To get more trending Chinese films and dramas, and looking for starting Chinese learning entertainingly, keep an eye on our update at www.chinaclife.com.

Enjoy!