Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Botanist

Play trailer Poster for The Botanist 2025 1h 36m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
Tomatometer 5 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Set in a remote village in Xinjiang, China, THE BOTANIST follows a young Kazakh boy named Arsin, who finds solace in the company of plants. He soon meets Meiyu, a spirited Han girl whose unpredictable nature reminds him of a rare, otherworldly plant. As their friendship blossoms, it deepens into a delicate, dreamlike allegory that blurs the lines between reality and the enchanting world of botany.

Critics Reviews

View More
Jordan Mintzer The Hollywood Reporter Feb 19, 2025
Jing has a knack for capturing the beauty of bucolic living, especially when you’re still young like Arsin and receptive to nature’s embrace. But the world of the film can seem so ethereal that it often risks slipping through our fingers. Go to Full Review Vikram Murthi IndieWire Feb 18, 2025
B-
Humanity’s tender, fraught relationship with the natural world has a storied history on film, but in “The Botanist,” it can sometimes feel like an unearned shortcut to grazing the sublime. Go to Full Review Panos Kotzathanasis Asian Movie Pulse Sep 29, 2025
6
While “The Botanist” resists traditional storytelling, the coming-of-age and romance at its center keep it grounded, preventing it from becoming overly abstract. The beauty of the scenery and the realism in the presentation work in the same direction. Go to Full Review John Berra Screen International Feb 27, 2025
A paean to nature which overflows with bucolic imagery but soon runs dry on cohesive narrative, The Botanist nonetheless marks an auspicious debut for writer-director Jing Yi. Go to Full Review Rory O'Connor The Film Stage Feb 17, 2025
As transportive a slice of summer melancholy as one could ask for. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
LABEL 2 @RT75584273 Oct 19, 2026 质量很高的导演首作，景致选取与画面调色都非常美。此处与他乡、此刻与未来、现实与幻梦交织，少年对植物的观察和收藏、与玩伴共度的欢乐时光、对美玉的点滴情愫共同确认着自我的中心，此时上海才是偏远的边疆；而随着身边人的远去和当地社会的变化，这种认知旋即崩解，梦游时不断重复的寻找与行走反而是更贴合现实的路途。影片的弱叙事在最后半小时情绪下滑的情况下成了无法回避的问题，进一步强化对角色心理和意境之美的展现也是不错的选择。 See more J J @RT54021238 Jun 8, 2026 The Botanist (2026) is a drama film that tells the story of a Kazakh boy named Arsin, set in a remote village in Xinjiang. This film introduces you to the world of plants, showcasing the culture, beliefs, and traditions associated with them. It's a portrayal of daily life, exploring themes like friendship, loneliness, isolation, and solace. The film visually and symbolically presents its story with minimal dialogue and cast. It features silence, long static shots, and deliberate pauses. If this kind of storytelling appeals to you, then this film will work for you; otherwise, like me, you might fall asleep after two or three scenes. This film pushes the boundaries of art and craft, capturing mountains, rivers, and trees in beautiful frames. Watching it provides an experience of serenity. This film is not for everyone; some might like it, others might not. See more Read all reviews
The Botanist

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Jing Yi

Director

Yesl Jahseleh

Actor

Ren Zihan

Actor

Jalen Nurdaolet

Actor

Sarhet Eramazan

Actor

Songhat Jomajan

Actor
View All

The Botanist

The Botanist (2025) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Set in a remote village in Xinjiang, China, THE BOTANIST follows a young Kazakh boy named Arsin, who finds solace in the company of plants. He soon meets Meiyu, a spirited Han girl whose unpredictable nature reminds him of a rare, otherworldly plant. As their friendship blossoms, it deepens into a delicate, dreamlike allegory that blurs the lines between reality and the enchanting world of botany.
Director
Jing Yi
Producer
Zuolong Shan, Qi Ai
Screenwriter
Jing Yi
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Chinese
Runtime
1h 36m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings