An epic from China. The great directors of the so-called fifth generation – especially Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige – made opulent films like FAREWELL, MY CONCUBINE and HERO which were set in the past and were usually apolitical if not state-aligned. Since the late 90s the sixth generation has been active, and when their more important representative Jia Zhang-Ke makes an epic, a film like ASCHE IST REINES WEISS comes out. Nothing here is opulent, there are no colorful costumes in sight, and the setting is contemporary China, an era where the special form of Chinese capitalism began and old values have been lost.

A long prologue is set in 2011, somewhere in the Chinese province. where young woman Qiao (Tao Schao) lives and is in love with gangster Bin (Liao Fan). There‘s an exchange of fire during an enemy attack and Qiao grabs a weapon to protect Bin and is arrested. Her lover doesn‘t betray her and she is sentenced to 5 years in prison. When she is released in 2006, China has radically changed, the transition to capitalism has changed all aspects of the country, only Qiao‘s love for Bin has stayed the same.

But Bin moved on a long time ago and immersed himself with new economic possibilities. He isn‘t a gangster anymore, he‘s a businessman – which in this system often means the same thing – and he has a new woman, of course. Qiao goes on a search to find Bin, but most of all to search for herself and her place in a radically changing world.

Frenchman Eric Gautier is behind the camera for Jia for the first time, with lyrical images that are a perfect addition to the melancholy mood that Jia keeps evoking, also through the very striking musical pieces which fans of Hong Kong action cinema will immediately recognise as Sally Yeh‘s theme song from John Woo‘s legendary gangster epic THE KILLER. It‘s no coincidence because Jia suggests that the world of cinema – the gangster attitudes, the two handed shootings – were a role model for young gangsters in the Chinese province. Throughout the film the illusion of fast money through crime is replaced by something else: fast money through the rise of capitalism.

Without making the parallels between gangsters and predatory capitalism too obvious, Jia suggests the consequences both have on the country and its people. Even though Qiao does slowly get back on her feet, becoming the leader of a gang due to her cunning and malice, she‘s never as happy as in the first scenes where her and Bin were in love. But maybe that short moment was just an illusion, the melancholy of loss is inscribed in Jia Zhang-Kes masterpiece ASCHE IST REINES WEISS from its very first moment.

Michael Meyns

Translation: Elinor Lewy