World Cinema
The Sun Rises on Us All / 日掛中天 (Ri gua zhong tian)
Cai Shangjun
Director's bio
Cai Shangjun
Cai Shangjun (b. 1967, Beijing) is a Chinese filmmaker known for his socially realist dramas. A graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, he began as a screenwriter before directing The Red Awn (2007, Golden Alexander Thessaloniki). His People Mountain People Sea (2011) won the Silver Lion at Venice, and The Conformist (2017) further established his reputation. His films, including The Sun Rises on Us All (2025), often explore emotional depth and the struggles of ordinary people in contemporary China.
Synopsis
Ex-lovers Meiyun and Baoshu reunite years after their separation, stirring old feelings and unresolved pain. Their meeting gradually unveils a tragic past of sacrifice and regret, culminating in a final, emotional farewell. Cai Shangjun’s restrained style emphasizes emotional realism, capturing the quiet devastation of human relationships and the inevitability of loss. The film unfolds as a meditation on love, memory, and the passage of time, showing how choices made in youth echo across decades. Through intimate performances and lyrical imagery, Cai crafts a story that resonates with universal themes of longing and reconciliation.
Details of Cast
Xin Zhilei, Zhang Songwen, Feng Shaofeng
Details of Crew
Cinematography: Kim Hyun-seok; Editing: Matthieu Laclau
Producer Details
Ma Shuang, Justine O. Huang
Writer Details
Han Nianjin, Cai Shangjun
Stills
Films in this category
2025
Omaha
2025
My Father’s Shadow
2025
Resurrection
2025
Papa Buka
2025
Reedland
2025
Die My Love
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