Here’s some film news from mainland China.
Earlier this year, there was info about Jia Zhangke’s new film, according to an official Chinese board sheet. The film is called “We Shall Be All.”
It’s been in production since November. Just to be clear, this is not a documentary like Jia’s last film, “Swimming Out Til the Sea Turns Blue.” It’s set to be Jia’s first film since 2018’s “Ash is Purest White.”
The story is said to be about Qiao and Bing, their on-and-off two-decade relationship and the friends who have disappeared over time. More Interestingly, Qiao and Bing are the same names Jia used in “Unknown Pleasure” (2002) and “Ash Is Purest White” (2018).
Variety now has the exclusive synopsis, describing it as a “dismantling of dystopia.” Jia says that the new film is set across the first two decades of the 21st century and tells the story of how a Chinese woman lives to herself in silence, celebrating the prosperous Belle Epoque with songs and dance.
Certain scenes were shot as far back as 2001. The balance will be filmed later this year. No release date has been announced.
Jia won the Golden Lion at Venice for “Still Life” in 2006. However, his last five films competed for the Palme d’Or so there’s no reason to believe this won’t be at Cannes 2024.