DEAD PIGS (2018, China) by Cathy Yan
A Shanghai pig farmer obsessed with virtual reality discovers that the pigs at his farm are dropping dead for some inexplicable reason. Soon, thousands of dead pigs start floating up in the river every day, throwing the municipal authorities in a tizzy. Meanwhile, an ambitious young waiter at an upscale restaurant falls in love with a disenchanted rich girl; while a cheerful, middle-aged salon owner tries to save her ancestral house from a realty venture that is represented by a young American architect seeking fortune in China, while doubling as an entertainer.
In this extraordinary tale of intertwining lives that gradually connect with each other, revealing hitherto unknown relationships, debutant Cathy Yan offers up a picture of a modern China ceaselessly pushing forward by abandoning all that it holds dear; but somehow, through all the cracks, a tremendous amount of warmth manages to seep in. Cathy Yan made this film in 2018 when she was 35; since then, she has helmed a major American studio project. With its robust screenplay, superb casting, and evocative cinematography and production designing, DEAD PIGS is a delightful watch – and a deeply thought-provoking tale.
Streaming on MU
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