Chinese director Li Ruijun's Walking Past the Future film, selected in the "Un Certain Regard" (In some perspective) section of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, drew wide audience's appreciation during its screening Saturday.
Through the movie, Li featured the life of a family from the first generation of migrant workers in China. The parents of the heroine Yang Yaoting had worked in Shenzhen, a metropolis in South China for twenty years. But they lost their jobs due to aging and poor health.
They decided to return to their homeland, a village in Northwest China's Gansu province with their two daughters. However, living in the countryside is not easy as expected. So Yang, the eldest daughter, returns to Shenzhen, and dreams of buying an apartment for her family.
The Chinese director said he was "honored and surprised" to be selected by the festival. For him, the film reflects the other side of Chinese social development by telling a "family and love story", which could touch the audience all over the world.
After the screening, Dany Wolf, American producer, said the film is "different" and "powerful", and he was deeply touched.
Turkish journalist Defne Gursoy Birgun said the film, with a universal concern, is the most human film she has watched in recent years.
She argued that during the post-industrial era, migration from cities to the countryside represented a challenge for all countries.
"I watched all the Chinese films every year (at Cannes Film Festival). Although it is a worldwide film festival, we think the future of the movie and innovative works are in the East," said the journalist.
This is the first time for Li to take part in the Cannes Film Festival, although his works have been selected in many international cinema gatherings. He took part in the 2014 International Festival of Tokyo with film River Road, and in 2012, Venice International Festival with Fly with the Crane.
This year, 18 films are selected for the "Un Certain Regard" section. The awards for the section will be unveiled on May 27.
The 70th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 17 to 28.