Return to Dust

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1:59

Return to Dust

2023

2h 14m

Drama

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

In rural Gaotai county, two lonely, middle-aged outcasts are pushed into an arranged marriage by their families. Ma (Wu Renlin) is a humble farmer with little to offer his timid and sickly wife, Cao (Hai Qing), except for a small abandoned house on a barren patch of land. From just a few seeds, their newly planted crops take root and flourish; and similarly, an unexpected bond between the two starts to blossom. As seasons pass their dedication to each other grows stronger, but change and adversity soon threaten the idyllic existence they share.

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Glenn Kenny

RogerEbert.com

Jul 21, 2023

3/4

Every frame of this movie is exquisitely considered without seeming fussy or stagy.

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Austin Considine

New York Times

Jul 20, 2023

A touching portrait of love and resiliency in a collapsing rural community of Gansu Province.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Nov 6, 2022

4/5

It’s a gorgeous, quietly affecting film that finds an unassuming beauty in this simple life in rural China, but which doesn’t shy away from the extreme hardships faced by the very poorest.

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Diana Tuova

Spotlight on Film

Aug 2, 2024

3.5/5

Though, ultimately, Return to Dust cannot level off its emotionally-manipulative streak, the story and cinematography remain memorable.

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Paul Emmanuel Enicola

The Movie Buff

Jul 6, 2024

B+

A profoundly sensitive and tender examination of human connection amid a worldview shaped by urbanization, cultural tradition, and societal expectations.

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Diane Carson

KDHX (St. Louis)

Aug 31, 2023

Its heartbreaking and heartwarming empathy for these two captivating individuals leads me to already put it on my Top 10 List for 2023.

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Leov L

@RT84149525 Aug 4, 2026

how to keep remain as an human being against all odds...

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Isa B

@RT32418990 Oct 5, 2024

Sad. Heartfelt. This is one of only two films that ever made me cry. The story is simple, the emotions are heavy. A Return to Dust is a great film! I highly recommend. 92/100

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Bert E

@RT06334556 Sep 27, 2024

Absolutely stunning! As the film proceeds you will fall in love with this gem of a film about the human spirit. It's a real pity that the Chinese Government cracked down on this, because this is easily the best film of the year.

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Steve C

@RT19610513 May 18, 2024

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.

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Bara S

@RT92574290 Jul 25, 2023

cultivate sympathy in scane. but we only tell fairy tales. This is a story of love, struggle, and a slice of life. Is this real?

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Ruijun Li

Director

Wu Renlin

Ma Youtie

Hai Qing

Cao Guiying

Yang Guangrui

Zhang Yongfu's Son

Zhao Dengping

Ma Youtong

Cailan Wang

Sister-in-Law

A Place of Our Own

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Yamabuki

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Return to Dust: Trailer 1

1:59

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Synopsis

In rural Gaotai county, two lonely, middle-aged outcasts are pushed into an arranged marriage by their families. Ma (Wu Renlin) is a humble farmer with little to offer his timid and sickly wife, Cao (Hai Qing), except for a small abandoned house on a barren patch of land. From just a few seeds, their newly planted crops take root and flourish; and similarly, an unexpected bond between the two starts to blossom. As seasons pass their dedication to each other grows stronger, but change and adversity soon threaten the idyllic existence they share.

Director: Ruijun Li
Producer: Zhang Min, Li Yan
Screenwriter: Ruijun Li
Distributor: Film Movement
Production Co: Beijing J.Q. Spring Pictures, Dream Media, Alibaba Pictures, Gansu Qizi Culture & Media, Aranya Pictures, Han Zhou Qinzizai, Beijing Showcase Culture Media
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 21, 2023, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.9K
Runtime: 2h 14m

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