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All Ears

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International Premiere

A feel-good story with a sociological bent, All Ears is the kind of drama that triggers introspective journeys and three-hour conversations. Wen Shan (Hu Ge, The Wild Goose Lake), a failed screenwriter still in love with telling stories, finds a position writing obituaries. The job goes beyond merely finding a narrative. Wen must spin people’s flaws into virtues, deal with contrasting and fragmented testimonies, and find coherence where there is none. A compassionate listener, Wen aims to give meaning to the lives of the deceased, a thankless and often misunderstood task. Writing obituaries helps him get over his own hang ups and build a richer life than the one he thought he wanted.

While the subject of death can be a heavy load for a film, writer-director Jiayin Liu (Oxhide I and II) approaches it with a lightness of touch and sense of humor that allows her to delve into darker territory, much like her documentary work. There are no narrative shenanigans, twists, or complex antiheroes to be found. Just a compelling story warmly told.

 

Best Actor, Shanghai Film Festival 2023

 

Media Partner

Director
Cast

HU Ge

Credits
Country of Origin

China

Year

2023

Series

Panorama

Language

In Mandarin with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
112 min
Drama Women Directors

Book Tickets

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Credits

Executive Producer

Cao Baoping

Producer

Mao Chuxiao, Liang Tongyu

Screenwriter

Liu Jiayin

Cinematography

Zhou Wencao

Editor

Yan Yiping

Original Music

Hank Lee

Director

Liu Jiayin headshot

Liu Jiayin

Writer-director Liu Jiayin, a Beijing Film Academy (BFA) graduate and current Associate Professor in Screenwriting, is known for her unique cinematic style and thematic focus in China’s independent filmmaking. Her auteur films Oxhide and Oxhide II have been screened in many international film festivals, including Berlin International Film Festival, and have been widely acclaimed by film critics as well as audiences.

Filmography: Oxhide (2005); Oxhide II (2009)

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