Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Berlin 2000 (International Competition)

A simple story, delicate and clear, built out of everyday activities and ordinary incidents, celebrating human goodness, faithfulness and endurance. In sparkling black and white and glorious but subtle colour Zhang Yimou gives us a history of Chinese life and political change over four decades, placing his narrative in a rural landscape, which is earthy and harsh but also intensely beautiful. Past and present are linked by courtship and a funeral, which together embody the value and power of love.