An Elephant Sitting Still

Legend has it that in the northern Chinese city of Manzhouli there is an elephant that simply sits and ignores the world. Manzhouli becomes an obsession for the four protagonists of this film, who all dream of escape from their downward spiraling life. Their story is told during the course of a single day, from dawn till dusk, when the train to Manzhouli is set to leave the station.

The film (winner of the Fipresci Prize) which attained instant cult status among critics at the Berlinale  is tinged with tragedy: the director Hu Bo took his own life before it was released.

Feature Debut