A portrait of death told through the eyes of Mrs. Fang and her surrounding family, director Wang Bing’s film chronicles the inevitable through an unfiltered gaze, daring not to look away as an elderly woman inches closer to death. Concerning the film’s subject, director Wang’s vision is unclouded by the oft-used cinematic gloss or mystique. Our gaze is tied closely and unflinchingly to Mrs. Fang. We watch as her lips recede, her eyes glaze and her family lingers near her bedside.
The film, while uncomfortable—and even unnerving, implores audiences to witness a reality of life that is too often overlooked, hidden or obscured. Through his observational style, Wang illustrates the universal truth of our mortality.
Director Biography
Wang Bing, born in Xi'an, China, is the most well-known documentary filmmaker working in China today. His feature-documentary debut, West of the Tracks ('03) screened at TIFF and he has since produced numerous films, including The Ditch ('10), Three Sisters ('12), ‘Till Madness Do Us Part (13) and Ta’ang ('16).
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