In this contemplative film about life, death and survival, Ma Zishan, an ageing Hui-Chinese from Ningxia province, is facing a dilemma. His wife, beloved by everyone in the village, has died and tradition demands that a ceremony is held for her forty days later. But Ma Zishan doesn’t know how he can pay for the ceremony. His son encourages him to slaughter their last bull for the guests, but he finds it difficult to say even more farewells.
Knife in the Clear Water shows the uncompromising life of the Hui, Chinese Muslims who live simply off the land. The fact that in his debut Wang Xuebo allowed himself to be inspired by Tarkovski and painters Andrew Wyeth and Jean-François Millet can be seen in the painterly interiors, the 4:3 format and the tranquil, long shots of misty, mountainous northern China.
- Director
- Wang Xuebo
- Premiere
- European premiere
- Country of production
- China
- Year
- 2016
- Festival Edition
- IFFR 2017
- Length
- 93'
- Medium
- DCP
- Original title
- Qingshui li de daozi
- Language
- Chinese
- Producers
- Wang Xuebo, Chen Cheng, Chen Jian, Wang Zijian
- Production Companies
- Beijing Ocean & Time Culture Communication Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Jiashang Film and Media Co., Ltd., Sichuan Branch Ning Xia Ming Dao Culture Development Co., Ltd., Blackfin (Beijing) Culture & Media Co.
- Sales
- Asian Shadows
- Screenplay
- based on a novel by Shi Shuqing, Wang Xuebo, Ma Jinlian, Ma Yue
- Cinematography
- Wang Weihua
- Editor
- Guo Xiaodong, Liao Chingsong, Wang Xuebo
- Production Design
- Yang Wei
- Sound Design
- Fu Kang
- Cast
- Yang Shengcang, Yang Shengcang, Zhou Jinhua, Yang Fan, Yang Xue
- Local Distributor
- MOOOV Film Distribution The Netherlands