Return to Dust CFF

China, 2022, 133 mins.

DIRECTOR: Li Ruijun

WITH: Wu Renlin, Hai Qing

Having reached middle age still single, farmer Ma Youtie (Wu Renlin) and Cao Guiying (Hai Qing) must agree to an arranged marriage by their families, in this tender story of companionship, shot in the Gansu province of China. The pair spend long hours working the land, with Ma caring for Cao, who is disabled and suffers with incontinence, and in turn, Cao stands up for her husband when he is exploited by other locals. For his sixth film, director Li Ruijun explores the impact of urbanisation in rural communites, while observing this gentle bond between two lonely people.

The Cambridge Film Festival is presented by the Cambridge Film Trust, a registered charity with a mission to foster film culture and education for the benefit of the public, in Cambridge and the Eastern region but also throughout the UK.