Banned in its homeland, this 73-minute gut-punch will wreck your week.
This guerrilla-style drama exposes the harsh reality of money-driven child marriages in China. The Chinese government wants to keep the subject of this film hidden, but it's undeniable that arranged marriages and bride-buying still exist in China's poorer provinces. The filmmakers witnessed these practices firsthand, through their own family members. In the film, we follow 14-year-old Hani, who dreams of marrying Pushiha. However, in the village, every bride comes with a hefty price tag. Desperate, Hani looks for ways to raise the money, even if it means committing crimes. This heartbreaking, real-life Romeo and Juliet story reflects a harsh truth.
Direction
Shot illegally with relatives as cast. Raw urgency unmatched.
Acting
Non-professionals embodying their own lived reality.
Writing
Romeo and Juliet framework weaponized against economic horror.
Director
Hou Dasheng
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bride price inflation in rural China has created 'bachelor villages' where men outnumber women 5:1, making Hani's desperation statistically inevitable.
Director Hou Dasheng used encrypted drives and dead drops to smuggle footage past authorities; some cast members used pseudonyms even among crew.
CN
