REVIEWS
“Newly rich, ever changing Beijing is the backdrop for many movies nowadays, but this is the that rare film in which it actually becomes a character.” -
Asian Cinema Plus
“The socially conscious film explores the reality behind Beijing’s economic boom through the eyes of its most marginalized citizens.” -
CCTV.com
“Shot on Beijing’s fringes, with concrete housing projects towering in the background, piles of brick rubble and dilapidated bridges, Beijing Flickers beautifully captures an overall sense of urban blight. And with its likeable cast of misfits—particularly Duan Bowen’s melancholy San Bao and the effervescent Shi Shi—it’s
also a tender look at China’s forgotten—and yet defiant—underclass.” –
Screen Daily
“Zhang skillfully sets his worn-down characters against the dazzling lights of China's teeming capital, a juxtaposition which conveys the hopelessness of many young people today. A film sure to ruffle feathers and provoke serious thinking in equal measure, Beijing Flickers opens our eyes to rarely glimpsed facets of contemporary China, and presents us stories that are usually left untold.” -
Toronto IFF
“Beijing Flickers looks deep into the psyches of this generation that doesn’t know quite what it wants, and finds at least flickers of hope that they can, together, make their own future.” -
Vancouver IFF
“…in these tough economic times, despite the language spoken here and other cultural details, viewers of Beijing Flickers will find much that feels all too familiar, regardless of where in the world they happen to live.” -
Twitch
“Mr. Zhang piles on the pain but then considers it with a deadpan gaze. That keeps his film buoyant.” as San Bao (Duan Bowen) and his pals — one parks cars, one is a transvestite singer — muck around getting nowhere: hanging out, drinking, absorbing life’s daily blows.” -
The New York Times
FESTIVALS & AWARDS
Toronto International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
