Synopse

DOCUMENTARY Fang Xiu Ying is 67 years old, was a farmer and has been suffering from Alzheimer's for eight years. The director follows her closely during her final weeks and in long takes documents her slow departure from this life. Although she can no longer speak and apparently has only rare moments of lucidity, Mrs Fang remains the centre of her family – both in terms of space and in the conversations and memories of her relatives. During her last days, the world revolves around the matriarch and the film reflects a changed sense of time caused by a state of waiting and hoping, taking leave and remembering.

Regie

With his very first film, the 9-hour documentary West of the Tracks (2003), WANG BING (*1967) made a name for himself as a director of epic works. Today, he is seen by many as China's leading independent documentary film-maker. Mrs. Fang was awarded the Golden Leopard at this year's Locarno festival.

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