Winner of the 2006 Venice Film Festival, Still Life continues Jia’s exploration of a China rushing to embrace capitalism and its modern globalism trappings. The symbolic setting is the Three Gorges Dam where the film focuses on two people, each seeking a loved one living amongst the devastated landscape.
Reviews
“The winner of the Golden Lion at Venice, this is as much a record of an unsought twilight as a narrative drama […] The despondent tone is lifted by moments of hope and, surprisingly, hilarity. ****” Patrick Peters, Empire
“Jia Zhang Ke is perhaps the most distinctive director working in China now. His films are beautifully observed, social realist snapshots of a society in flux. The Venice Film Festival winner Still Life fits the same mould. […] it’s a fascinating, understated masterpiece. ****” Wendy Ide, The Times
Awards
Asian Film Awards ’07 – WINNER
– Best Director (Zhang Ke Jia)
Venice Film Festival ’06 – WINNER
– Golden Lion (Zhang Ke Jia)