The Road Home

An unforgettable journey into the realm of the heart

Upon the death of his father, city businessman Luo Yusheng returns to his home village to arrange the funeral. Luo's elderly mother is insistent that all the traditional customs be observed, despite the reservations the village mayor has about the expense and practicalities of this. Her extreme obstinacy in the matter causes Luo to think back to childhood memories of the stories he heard told of his parents' courtship - a romance that captured the attention of the entire village.
In a flashback, their remarkable story of love and loyalty is told...

Directed and produced by: Zhang Yimou

Starring: Zhang Ziyi

Run time: 85 minutes

Classification: U

Zhang Yimou (1950-)

Zhang was born in Xi'an, and during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s he went to work first as a farm labourer for 3 years, and later at a cotton textile mill for 7 years.

Following the abandonment of policies adopted during the Cultural Revolution, the Beijing Film Academy reopened its doors to new students in 1978. Zhang, at 27, was over the regulation age for admission, and was without the prerequisite academic qualifications.
After a personal appeal to the Ministry of Culture, and showing a portfolio of his personal photographic works, the authorities relented and admitted him to the Faculty of Cinematography. Zhang graduated with the class of 1982, who went on to form the core of the 'Fifth Generation' of Chinese filmmakers - part of an artistic reemergence in China after the end of the Cultural Revolution.

Zhang has won numerous awards and recognitions, with Best Foreign Film nominations for Ju Dou in 1990, Raise the Red Lantern in 1991, and Hero in 2003, Silver Lion and Golden Lion prizes at the Venice Film Festival, Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival. Zhang directed the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games, which received considerable international acclaim.