Private Project

Wuhai

Yang Hua and Miao Wei form a happily married couple living in Wuhai, a small city surrounded with astonishing desert scenery in inner Mongolia. Yet, the husband, Yang Hua, often feels stressed over the financial differences between his and his wife’s families. He partners with his friend Luo Yu in commercial lending, but unfortunately, the business fails, and he becomes bogged down in debts. One day, Yang Hua’s family, friends, debts collectors, and debtors come one after another, depriving him of his last bit of dignity.

  • ZHOU Ziyang
    Director
  • ZHOU Ziyang
    Writer
  • WANG Luna
    Producer
  • QIAN Yini
    Producer
  • ZHU Li
    Producer
  • HUANG Xuan
    Key Cast
    "YANG Hua"
  • YANG Zishan
    Key Cast
    "MIAO Wei"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    乌海
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 40 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2020
  • Country of Origin:
    China
  • Country of Filming:
    China
  • Language:
    Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:1.85
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - ZHOU Ziyang

ZHOU Ziyang, Chinese director, made his mark by his first film Old Beast(2017), which won Best Original Screenplay and FIPRESCI Prize at the 54th Golden Horse Film Festival, Special Mention at the 30th Tokyo International Film Festival, and Best Young Director at the 9th China Film Director’s Guild. ZHOU is considered one of the most promising Chinese directors in the Chinese cinema.

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Director Statement

I am saddened that under rapid economic development, desire and distorted money-oriented values have brought such great harm to people. This film, reflecting on this issue, is like a fable that inspires the audience to introspection. At the same time, it investigates the depths of human nature. I try to use the energy of life to interpret depression and further understand the meaning of life. So I conceived of a series of symbols of strong vitality, such as pregnancy, fetuses, lungfish, dinosaurs, animals, and desire, to contrast with reality, its threats, stress and depression. All of these will lead to life, birth and rebirth in the end. What I want to present in my second film is drama, philosophical thinking, and more sophisticated aesthetics within the form of genre films. It will break new ground in Chinese auteur films, and pay tribute to Akira Kurosawa's film contributions and to the peak of the Fifth Generation in the 1990s, with a tight and deep connection with millions of Chinese people. I firmly believe that this is a film that will strongly resonate with people, as the struggles of the characters in the story embody the reality of what is happening today in China.