Getting Home

(Zhang Yang, China, 2007)

Wednesday, November 4, at 2 p.m., and Thursday, November. 5, 7 p.m, Drenan Auditorium, third floor, Parker Hall

Old Zhao, in his 50s, is a poor migrant worker slaving away in Shenzhen. When his friend and co-worker Old Liu dies unexpectedly, Old Zhao decides to bring the dead man home. He pretends his companion is just a passed-out drunk, boards a cross-country coach, and meets a band of armed robbers. Old Zhao tells them to kill him first to take his dead friend’s compensation. The robbers are moved by his loyalty and leave the bus. Instead of thanking him, the other passengers kick Old Zhao and his dead friend off. Now on the side of the road, Old Zhao tries to flag down a car, pretending Old Liu needs to get to a hospital. After spending a night at a hotel, Old Zhao finds his traveling money has been stolen. Nevertheless, Old Zhao’s determination is not shaken. When he needs money, he uses Old Liu’s corpse to pose as a beggar. When he needs to eat, he cries at a stranger’s funeral to get a free meal. When he needs to hide Old Liu’s death spots, he finds a sympathetic prostitute who puts makeup on Old Liu. Along the odyssey, Old Zhao meets many different types of Chinese people. When he finally arrives in Old Liu’s hometown, it’s been turned into a dam. The entire village is now deep underwater. Old Zhao sits down and recalls a scene that occurred not long ago before Old Liu’s death.…

Zhang Yang was born in Beijing, China in 1967. In 1992, he graduated from the Central Theatre Academy. He then directed a theatrical production of Kiss of the Spider Woman and went on to direct over twenty underground music videos. His first feature film, Spicy Love Soup, swept the domestic Chinese awards and his second feature, Shower, won the FIPRESCI prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. Getting Home is his fifth feature film.