Return to Dust

A tender tale on the transformative nature of love.

In the rural Gansu region of China, Ma and Cao are two people seen only as inconveniences by their respective families. They are cast off and forced into an arranged marriage. Living a simple but challenging farming life, the couple gradually fall in love. Together, they decide to build their own house. However, a state-ordered demolition process threatens their very way of life.

The latest film from director Li Ruijun is a patient, tender story of survival and love against the odds. Elegantly shot and beautifully acted, it shows a side of Chinese society rarely seen on cinema screens. It has struck a chord with audiences in China, recently topping the local box office months after its initial release.