China’s most acclaimed director, Jia Zhangke, made his return this past May, when A Touch of Sin — the man’s first feature in five years — premiered at Cannes, receiving strong notices for the coherence of its wide scope and, no less, retaining the concerns which have defined the man’s cinema for over a decade. After being picked up by Koch Lorber, the picture’s been set for appearances at TIFF and NYFF, both of which will soon be followed by a limited theatrical rollout.
For its appearance at the former festival, an HD trailer has been put online. Although yours truly has yet to see Jia‘s latest picture, what’s been read thus far helps inform the action glimpsed herein, and, to that end, I appreciate the seemingly economic ways in which this preview summarizes Sin‘s four-pronged narrative, drawing us in with the writer-director’s expectedly resplendent view of the Chinese landscape right before events get bloody and explosive. It’s odd to think a film of his would have commercial prospects in the United States, but, the way it’s sold, A Touch of Sin could be something of a breakthrough — and that, we can agree, is a fine prospect.
Have a look at the trailer below:
A Touch of Sin will open in New York on October 4.
What do you think of this trailer? Is Jia’s title on your radar?