Wang Xiaoshuai’s family epic spans three decades of Chinese history, charting years of social and political change in the country through the experience of a couple who have to endure the pain of having witnessed their son die at a young age. It is a deeply moving and intense melodrama, featuring an entertaining, recurring cast of characters passing through the times. As social commentary, So Long, My Son is stunning in its sweep and ambition, presenting contrasts between urban and rural, rich and poor and between the earnest days following the Cultural Revolution and the creeping capitalism of today. MH
Photo © Li Tienan, Dongchun Films