Night Falls (2024)

Near Lunar New Year, Liang Zhe makes the long trek home to his village in rural Shanxi. Along the way, he encounters acquaintances, estranged friends, and potential love interests. Though everyone seems impressed by his life in Beijing, Zhe can’t help but reflect on his failures both past and present. Based on his own experiences, Jian Haodong’s take on the well-worn road movie genre is a melancholic and quietly engrossing journey of self-reflection, relatable to anyone who has left home for greener pastures. Best Film, Pingyao Film Festival.