Chinese neo-noir master Cai Shangjun returns to the Festival with an exploration of sacrifice, guilt, and the unresolved feelings between two still-entangled former lovers. Starring Xin Zhilei, Zhang Songwen, and Feng Shaofeng.
A welcome return to the Festival for acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Cai Shangjun (The Conformist, TIFF ’17), The Sun Rises On Us All marks a striking continuation of his singular, intellectually, and emotionally resonant body of work. A leading voice in Chinese neo-noir, Cai has long surprised and engaged audiences with morally complex stories that explore the human condition with subtlety and gravitas. His latest film is no exception.
Anchored by mesmerizing performances from award-winning actor Xin Zhilei (Wong Kar-wai’s Blossoms Shanghai), and from renowned actor Zhang Songwen (Saturday Fiction, TIFF ’19), the film follows two former lovers whose lives remain painfully entangled by a shared secret: years ago, he took the fall for a crime she committed. After serving time, he re-emerges into a world where forgiveness remains elusive, and love has curdled into resentment. As they navigate their daily routines in the same city — estranged yet never far apart — their past resurfaces in a final, heart-wrenching reckoning.
Cai’s visual language is raw, intimate, and deeply immersive. Shot in Guangzhou’s humid, shadow-filled nights, the film balances minimalist aesthetics with emotional precision, reflecting the inner transformations of its wounded characters. Every detail — from the choice of aspect ratio to the use of indirect light — serves the story’s quiet intensity.
This is a film about sacrifice, guilt, and the impossibility of redemption. While it unfolds on a modest scale, its emotional impact is profound. With The Sun Rises On Us All, Cai Shangjun reaffirms his place as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Chinese cinema.
GIOVANNA FULVI
Screenings
Scotiabank 8
Scotiabank 10
Scotiabank 11