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She Dances by the Sea
Program
She Dances by the Sea

She Dances by the Sea

Jian Fan, Isabella Zang
China, Netherlands
2024
108 min
World Premiere
International Competition
Tickets & Times
Synopsis

Chinese poet Xiuhua Yu, who has cerebral palsy, became instantly famous when her poems went viral on social media. When it happened she was stuck in a violent and loveless marriage in rural China. Director Jian Fan’s award-winning 2016 documentary Still Tomorrow followed her throughout her breakthrough year, when she gained the financial freedom to end her marriage. All that was missing was love.

Now, eight years later, she has fallen in love for the first time. And just like her breakthrough as a poet, it happened online, where she met Yang on a livestream. It wasn’t long before people on the internet started criticizing their relationship— they questioned what a handsome young man was doing with a disabled older woman.

While the first film grappled with whether fame would solve her problems, this sequel asks whether love will be the answer. It’s soon clear that their fairy tale relationship was too good to be true, and Yu has to fight for her freedom all over again.

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Tickets & Times
Fri, november 15
Press & Industry Screening, Passholders only
13:00 – 14:49
Pathé City 2
Film fully subtitled in English

Sat, november 16
17:15 – 19:19
Tuschinski 4
Film fully subtitled in English

Sun, november 17
15:15 – 17:24
Pathé City 1
Film fully subtitled in English

Tue, november 19
13:00 – 15:09
Kriterion 1
Film fully subtitled in English

Thu, november 21
21:00 – 22:52
Cinema De Vlugt
Film fully subtitled in English

Fri, november 22
Free with Cineville. More info at idfa.nl/cineville
19:45 – 21:36
Ketelhuis: Zaal 1
Film fully subtitled in English

Sun, november 24
13:15 – 15:06
Pathé City 3
Film fully subtitled in English
Credits
108 min
color
DCP
Spoken languages: Chinese
Director
    Jian Fan,
    Isabella Zang
    Jian Fan,
    Isabella Zang
Production
    Vincent Du for DuGood Productions
    Vincent Du for DuGood Productions
Co-production
    Jia Zhao for Muyi Film
    Jia Zhao for Muyi Film
Cinematography
    Xiao Xiao,
    Xiaoguan Shi,
    Jian Fan
    Xiao Xiao,
    Xiaoguan Shi,
    Jian Fan
Editing
    Isabella Zang
    Isabella Zang
Sound
    Jian Fan,
    Kelan Li
    Jian Fan,
    Kelan Li
Sound Design
    Danfeng Li
    Danfeng Li
World Sales
    Stranger Films Sales
    Stranger Films Sales
Screening copy
    Jian Fan
    Jian Fan
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