@celeste_writes
A patient, formally daring work — the cinematography lingers on empty rooms longer than most audiences will tolerate, but those who stay are rewarded with the most haunting final act of the year.
When a violin prodigy Xiaochun and his father head to Beijing seeking fame and fortune, they soon discover a fierce world of cutthroat ambition. But when Xiaochun is "adopted" by a famous music tutor, success finally seems within reach - until a shocking discovery begins to unravel his entire world, and the boy must make the most difficult choice of his life. Can he achieve the fame his father had always hoped for without losing the extraordinary passion that sets him apart?
Quick Stats
6.9
TMDB Rating
62
Votes
1h 56m
Runtime
—
Budget
—
Box Office
—
Return
Key Crew
DirectorChen Kaige
WriterXue Xiaolu
CinematographyKim Hyung-koo
ComposerZhao Nan
EditorZhou Ying
Production DesignCao Juiping
Produced by
21 Century Shengkai FilmChina Movie ChannelChinarunn Entertainment Inc.China Film Group Corporation
Where to Watch
Free with Ads
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Critics & Reviews
3 featured@jhalberg
I walked in expecting another genre exercise and walked out feeling like I'd been eavesdropping on a confession. The lead performance is genuinely singular — a career-defining turn.
@priya_a
A few too many scenes feel borrowed from a better film, but the soundtrack and the production design carry the rest. Solid recommendation for fans of slow-burn European thrillers.
Cast
Yun Tang
Xiao Chun
Chen Hong
Li Li
Liu Peiqi
Liu Cheng
Cheng Qian
Li Li's Boyfriend
Chen Kaige
Professor Yu
Kim Hye-ri
Prof. Yu's Wife
Wang Zhiwen
Jiang
Chen Qiang
Hui
B
Bing Liu
Debao
C
Chuan-Yuan Li
Tang Rong
Zhang Haiyan
Child's Mother
Zhang Qing
Lin Yu
Tang Ru-Yun
Max Zhang
