Apart Together

Wang Quan'an won a Silver Bear award for best screenplay at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival for this film. For whatever reason it did not premiere in China until 2013 - "without any cut or revision" explains the filmmaker - and stil failed to garner any significant box-office return.

A dexterous account of a newly-married Shanghai couple who were separated in 1949 in the maelstrom of political upheavals the family drama is full of subtlety punctuated by occasional bursts of funny melodramatic turns. It features natural dialogue and top-notch performances all round, especially Lisa Lu and Ling Feng, who play the reunited couple. However, it doe not offer a dramatic climax or any obvious message, political or otherwise, leaving many filmgoers perplexed about the moral of the story. On the plus side, it gives you plenty of room for philosophizing.

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Hot ticket with popcorn