Return to Dust

She lovingly cradles a little cardboard lightbox from him with holes that make her room appear like it is full of stars, and he gently places wheat husks on her wrist in the shape of flower petals. This late blooming romance between a poor farmer and an abused woman fills them each with such overwhelming happiness that anything seems possible. A rainstorm that washes away their work of many days, a demolished home, oppressive cold, and poverty, are nothing compared to their love. They find pleasure and wonder in everything; a nest full of swallows, hatching chickens, a wandering donkey, and bottles built into the roof of their home that make the wind sound like it is playing a melody. Still, the challenges of living in modern China constantly test their resolve, patience, and determination.

In addition to being a captivating and tender love story about a mature couple, Return to Dust provides an intriguing picture of the current affairs of China and the ways the developments are affecting the lives of rural populations, food supplies, and China's soul. People are encouraged to move to 70 story apartment towers when their homes are demolished, farms are flooded for massive hydroelectric projects, and artisans are replaced by machines and factories. I witnessed these issues at play in a visit to China in 2018.

It is heartening to witness this loving couple appreciate the small joys of life and peacefully accept adversity, and devastating when society seems to want to grind them into the dust in pursuit of questionable goals. "Where do our chickens, donkeys, and pigs live?" they ask when they are pushed to move to a condo. The couple is so kind to people and animals, and their greatest treasure is each other, so you wish them and those like them all the success in the world.

Screening at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Immensely ethereal scenes paired with a gut wrenching story. The story unravels like a cloth covering the true nature of a persons intentions slowly, but with an impact so strong, making you doubt, and question with great dissapointment the nature of the human behaviour. And in all of the chaos of greed two beacons shine throughout the movie...the two protagonists, the outcasts of the rotten society they've been brought up in...highlight the outmost beauty in human relationship. Youre always followed and reminded of the courage and the absoute humanitarian spirit of the couple and it makes you complete...Complete, for you need it if you want to make it to the ending.

By far the most humanitarian movie ive seen in a while.

Ruijun Li's touching Chinese drama about two lonely souls raised the ire of the government which has subsequently banned it. A political tract it is not.

Ma (Renlin Wu) is dismissed even by his own family as 'fourth brother'. Cao (Hai-Qing) is similarly the dark sheep of her family, challenged by health issues and quiet almost to the point of being a mute. Their families arrange a marriage - not necessarily for the benefit of the man and woman - as much as taking them off their hands. They are peasants. Subsistence farmers eeking out not so much a living, as survival.

Good fortune seems to strike the newlyweds when the rich land baron who owns their tracts calls upon Ma for a vital personal favor. Ma is so humble and honorable that he never demands any true reward for helping out the landlord, indeed he extracts nothing at all. He is the type of man who doesn't even ride his farm labor donkey - afraid his weight will burden the beast.

Ruijun Li (who also wrote) provides a gentle guiding hand. The small miracle that evolves with Ma and Cao truly becoming a married couple is accomplished with the smallest of touches. There is minimal music and few major incidents. Li adopts a neo-realist tone. It's et in the present day - which probably is what triggered the government's reaction to the appallingly poor and exploited condition of the farm workers. Other than the use of cell phones and modern vehicles, it could take place at any time.

RETURN TO DUST is simple, but not simplistic. Renlin Wu and Hai-Qing's unadorned but accomplished performances carry the movie over some occasionally slow patches. It's a lovely work that should be seen -- especially, in it's homeland.

For most Chinese people living in big cities, we don't know much about what it's like to be liviing in rural China. On all social media platforms available in China mainland, we are infused with the knowledge that all the people are living happy lives. But this movie gives us a perfect glimpse into a kind of life that's totally different than ours.

When I was watching the movie, I saw many people leaving comments below. Many of them said they have similar experiences when they lived in rurual when they were young. I know many Chinese people are still struggling with basic needs, but I didn't know they need to struggle so hard. Seeing the couple in the movie living a humble life but still keeping their kind hearts makes me cherish my comfortable life more and even makes me want to be a kinder people

Many say the scene is somewhat exaggerating the real situation, but what makes it curious is that the movie is banned by the Chinese government. This made me believe more that maybe it is actually like in rural China. I have to say I believe the government is trying to make people's lives easier, but it doesn't mean depictions of the other side of a propserous China can't be shown to people.

It's National Day Holiday here in China right now. When I was searching for a movie available in movie theaters, I didn't have much options other than movies paying homage to the government.

A couple are matched together for their families' convenience - abused and sickly woman, and put upon, hard-working man. Together they find a measure of happiness and belonging that was missing in their lives.

The movie is beautifully shot, with picturesque landscapes and the images of the shifting seasons. It is a slow film - really a slice of life. The actors played their characters very well.

Beyond the story, the movie left me with a sense of the difficulties of life in rural areas.