Return to Dust
Available screening types
Virtual
On-demand
In-person
Available until
Jul 01, 2036
Available in
United States of America, Canada
Brought to you by
Film Movement
About the film
Humble, unassuming Ma and timid Cao have been cast off by their families and forced into an arranged marriage. They have to combine their strength and build a home to survive. In the face of much adversity, an unexpected bond begins to blossom, as both Ma and Cao, uniting with Earth's cycles, create a haven for themselves in which they can thrive.
Genre
Drama
Runtime
2h 14m
Released
2022
Director
Li Ruijun
Writer
Li Ruijun
Awards & recognition
Nominated Golden Bear
2022 Berlin International Film Festival
2022 Golden Spike Winner for Best Film
Valladolid International Film Festival
2022 Best Film Winner
Asian Film Festival Barcelona
2023 Youth Film Handbook Award: Outstanding Film
To Ten Chinese Films Festival
2022 Special Jury Award Winner
Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival
2022 Audience Award Winner
Udine Far East Film Festival
What people are saying
‘"It’s an intimate drama that... moves you with its warm humanist core.... Both leads are remarkable."‘
Zhuo-Ning Su
Awards Daily
‘"This poetic tale of an arranged marriage which blossoms into a true partnership is Li’s most affecting and accessible work to date."‘
John Berra
Screen Daily
‘Critic's Pick! [Q]uietly heartbreaking.... [A] touching portrait of love and resiliency...with superb performances by Wu Renlin and Hai Qing....China’s leadership has a history of suppressing art that spotlights the failings of its ruling class and ideology, which is exactly what Li’s film does...That he succeeds without making it feel like homework — which is to say beautifully, humanely — is presumably what made the film so threatening.‘
Austin Considine