When it is time for the Chinese gaokao, the entire country comes to a standstill. For nearly ten million high school students, this two-day national college entrance exam will determine where and if they get to study. It is not uncommon for the fates of entire families to hinge on the results. Like so many others, Nian has been focused on preparing for the exam, at the exclusion of everything else and is all alone. A classmate has committed suicide and she has become the target of relentless bullying. Meanwhile, fate brings her together with small-time criminal Bei and the two of them seal a pact.
QUOTES:
“GRIPPING, SUPERBLY PERFORMED MELODRAMA”
- Jessica Kang, Variety
“COMBINE[S] THE BEST FROM BOTH INDEPENDENT AND MAINSTREAM CINEMA”
- Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
“VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE AND GRIPPING”
James Mudge, easternKicks.com
AWARDS:
- Academy Awards, USA (2021) - Nominee - Best International Feature Film
- Academy Award of Beijing Film Academy (2020) - Winner - Best Actor/Actress
- China Film Director’s Guild Awards (2020) - Winner - Best Actress, Best Director from Hong Kong or Taiwan