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"This ultraviolent attack on Chinese consumerism is a stunning slap in the face from previously-sedate director Jia Zhang-ke." - The Guardian
The blood hits the floor in this confronting look at modern China and the domestic conflict its newfound wealth has wrought. Following four characters from different provinces, A Touch of Sin tells the story of a miner as he revolts against corruption, a migrant worker who finds possibility in a firearm, a receptionist assaulted by a rich client and a young factory worker desperate to improve his situation.
With input from Takeshi Kitano's production office, brutal flourishes and stories drawn from real-life Chinese headlines, acclaimed director Jia Zhang-ke (I Wish I Knew, MIFF 2011) has built an angry, gritty, beautifully shot drama that traverses the lurching superpower from Shanxi coalmines to the gaudy brothels in Dongguan.
Best Screenplay winner at Cannes 2013.
"For reasons I can't fully explain, these four individuals and the incidents they were involved in remind me of King Hu's [A Touch of Zen, MIFF 1983] martial arts films. I've drawn inspiration from the martial arts genre to construct these present-day narratives." - Jia Zhang-ke
Jia Zhang-ke and Zhao Tao are guests of the festival.
D/S Jia Zhang-ke P Shozo Ichiyama Dist Curious Film L Mandarin w/English subtitles TD DCP/2013