Festival

Festival is a 2018 Chinese drama film directed by Yang Shupeng, starring Yinpeng Xu, Jiakuan Tang, Benzhi Gong, and Xiaoman Zhao. The movie is set in a remote mountain village in China during the Qingming Festival, a time when people pay their respects to their ancestors at their grave sites.

The film centers around three stories, each depicting different struggles faced by the villagers. The first story revolves around a young woman named Zheng Xiujie, who returns to the village to pay her respects to her deceased father. However, she is met with contempt by her stepmother and stepbrother, who believe she abandoned them to pursue a better life in the city. Tensions rise as the family grapples with their conflicting emotions and struggles to reconcile.

The second story follows the relationship between two men, Wang Xiaoshi and Chen Xiaotian, who are in love but must keep their feelings hidden due to societal norms. Their secret is threatened when Xiaotian's father becomes suspicious and confronts them, forcing them to choose between their love and their families.

In the third and final story, a group of youths from the village band together to protect their ancestral graves from being desecrated by outsiders. Their efforts are met with resistance and violence, highlighting the longstanding tensions between the village and the outside world.

Throughout the film, themes of tradition, family, and societal expectations are explored as the characters navigate their struggles. The stunning visuals of the mountain village and the solemn rituals of the Qingming Festival provide a backdrop to the complex emotions and relationships depicted in the film.

Festival received critical acclaim upon its release, praised for its depth and emotional resonance. It was selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 91st Academy Awards but was ultimately not nominated.

Overall, Festival is a poignant and thought-provoking film that explores the complexities of human relationships and the struggle to reconcile one's past with the present.