Only the River Flows (ENG SUBS)

In 1990s rural China, the body of a woman is found by the river. Chief Inspector Ma Zhe is tasked with investigating the seemingly simple murder case, and under his leadership, an arrest is quickly made. But Ma Zhe is forced to dig deeper and continues to investigate the case. Other clues inadvertently expose the hidden lives of the community – whether it’s an illegal affair between two poetry lovers, or a crossdresser trying to conceal their identity from the public.

Only the River Flows is the third feature film by Wei Shujun and was already a great success in China. Less than a month after its cinema release, the film was already one of China’s highest-grossing arthouse films. With its combination of grainy 16mm texture and plenty of rain and mist, the film fits perfectly into the neo-noir genre.