Living the Land

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1:18

Living the Land

Apr 2026

2h 12m

Drama

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23 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In 1991, as China undergoes sweeping socio-economic changes that drive many to leave their rural villages in pursuit of work in the cities, 10-year-old Chuang, the third child of his family, must remain in the village due to family plans. Against the backdrop of modernization, as the advent of technology reshapes their traditional way of life, cycles of births, deaths, marriages, and funerals reveal the enduring weight of tradition and the pressures of balancing familial responsibilities with a rapidly changing world.

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Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

Apr 3

3.5/4

The film is deeply mournful, but also pierced with joy.

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Beatrice Loayza

New York Times

Apr 2

A patient, multigenerational drama that immerses viewers in the traditions and labor practices of a farming community in China’s Henan Province.

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Jake Cole

Slant Magazine

04/30/2025

3/4

Huo Meng’s second feature is attentive to the everyday rhythms of rural communities.

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Robin Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Jul 8

B+

I may have been challenged by the huge cast and varied stories that intertwine, but the main story has a positive arc and flow through a boy’s eyes.

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Laura Clifford

Reeling Reviews

Jul 5

A-

melancholy and beautiful, like a pastoral landscape animated with living characters Huo makes us care about.

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William Schwartz

Book & Film Globe

May 18

Huo Meng’s camera neither indicts this society, nor does it romanticize it. The documentary-like framing largely serves to simply present a world that’s largely now disappeared.

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Leslie F

@lfatum Jul 11

Beautifully filmed and acted, this movie takes you to a different place and time but is fully human.

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Tino B

@RT23451986 Apr 28

Some people may find this type of movie "slow" or boring. I was completely immersed in the story for the entire 2+ hours of the duration, though. I found the story, the images and the culture extremely compelling. If Spider-Man is your type of movie, please, skip this one. If you gotta have high caliber action and can’t elevate your head above your western cultural patterns, you can save yourself time and money. But if you find joy in the otherness, hey, don’t miss this one. Visual poetry with a Chinese twist.

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Apr 3

Success in 2 hours and 12 minutes. In Chinese with English subtitles.

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Huo Meng

Director

Wang Shang

Chuang

Zhang Yanrong

Great Grannie

Zhang Chuwen

Xiuying

Huo Meng

Screenwriter

Zhang Fan

Producer

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Living the Land: Trailer 1

1:18

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Synopsis

In 1991, as China undergoes sweeping socio-economic changes that drive many to leave their rural villages in pursuit of work in the cities, 10-year-old Chuang, the third child of his family, must remain in the village due to family plans. Against the backdrop of modernization, as the advent of technology reshapes their traditional way of life, cycles of births, deaths, marriages, and funerals reveal the enduring weight of tradition and the pressures of balancing familial responsibilities with a rapidly changing world.

Director: Huo Meng
Producer: Zhang Fan
Screenwriter: Huo Meng
Distributor: Film Movement
Production Co: Shanghai Film Group, Phoenix Legend Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 3, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 3, 2026
Runtime: 2h 12m