The Dull Ice Flower [UK Premiere] (18)

UK premiere of the new restoration. The screening on 5 December will feature in-person attendance of the cinematographer Mark Lee Ping-bing.

Filmmaker in Focus: Mark Lee Ping-bing.

As dull-ice flowers come into bloom, art teacher Kuo Yun-tien arrives to teach in a rural village. He discovers Ku A-ming, a mischievous boy gifted with a vivid imagination and a natural talent for painting. Despite growing up in poverty, A-ming captures the world around him with an optimistic brush. When Kuo passionately recommends him for a competition, he is forced to confront the harsh realities and obstacles that stand in the way.

Adapted from the novel of the same title by Taiwanese literary giant Chung Chao-cheng, the film uses an unadorned visual style to lay bare the social realities beneath everyday life. Its eponymous theme song, entwined with a tearful story of longing, has been sung and remembered across generations. It previously selected and premiered at Berlinale in 1990.

Courtesy of Radiance Films.