MRS. FANG

Fang Xiuying is 68 years old and dying. She has suffered from Alzheimer’s for years, and the disease has now progressed so far that she is bedridden and barely responsive. In her house in rural China, children, relatives and neighbours take turns at her bedside, talking about her and about everyday life, waiting. In “Mrs. Fang” (China 2017), Wang Bing documents the last ten days of her life – and the face of a woman who can no longer say anything.

Wang Bing remains true to his pared-down, uncompromising style: long, static shots that do not soften death in an impoverished corner of China. The film premiered in the International Competition in Locarno in August 2017 and won the Golden Leopard, the festival’s top prize; the jury included Olivier Assayas and Miguel Gomes, among others. In 2017, “Mrs. Fang” was shown at Around the World in 14 Films in Berlin.

Shown at the 2017 edition of Around the World in 14 Films.

All films 2017 · Film Archive