Return to Dust

Ma Youtie, a not-so-young unassuming introvert, and Cao Guiying, a timid and sickly woman, are forced into a marriage by their families. With diligence and persistence, these two outcasts grow their land, build a home, and form a strong, supportive, and loving bond. In one sense, Return to Dust is an allegory about the situation of a large social stratum in China - dealing with the transition from village life to urban settings, and the tension between tradition and progress. Against the backdrop of these tensions, the heart of the film is the depiction of the beautiful and heartening union between its heroes, and the simple and human way in which life leads them to embrace one another and not let go. The result is one of the most stunning films of the past year.