"Features beautifully-judged performances that radiate warmth and encourage empathy. It marks Li Ruijun as a significant cinematic talent." - Anna Smith, Deadline Hollywood
"Exquisite, a delicate pastoral study of love and sorrow." - David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter
"An absorbing, beautifully framed drama." - Jessica Kiang, Variety
In a small village in rural China, the timid, chronically ill Cao is unceremoniously married off to a humble, poor farmer named Ma. Relative strangers to one another and both painfully shy, their tepid relationship warms when they begin working together to turn an abandoned house on their small patch of land into a home. Unhurried and compassionate, RETURN TO DUST is an intimate portrait of two lonely, neglected people who transform one another’s worlds. Film Center exclusive.
Awards & Nominations
Nominee - Golden Bear, Berlinale
Winner - Best Film, Valladolid International Film Festival
Official Selection - Toronto International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival