An Elephant Sitting Still
The only feature from Chinese writer-director Hu Bo is a mesmerizing four-hour symphony of neo-noir pessimism softened by flickers of compassion. Over a single day in a gloomy industrial city, four loosely connected characters endure a series of betrayals, arguments and violent clashes. The influence of Hu’s mentor Béla Tarr seeps into his muted color palette and balletic tracking shots. Tragically, the 29-year-old director took his own life shortly before his film's premiere.
Zhang Yu, Peng Yuchang, Wang Uvin
- Notes From Ed LachmanFeaturing four principal characters whose stories interweave over the course of a single day, this is really a four-hour film about taking responsibility for your own actions, as each of these characters is somehow betrayed. Sadly, Hu Bo committed suicide between finishing this film and its release. This feature, along with his novel, short stories and short films, will commemorate his extraordinary talent and voice in modern cinema. It’s composed, narratively and visually, in its staging, which creates economy and emotional weight.