Acclaimed Director Cai Shangjun Explores Morality and Forgiveness in New Venice Film

Acclaimed Chinese director Cai Shangjun is back at the 2025 Venice Film Festival with his latest competition title, "The Sun Rises on Us All." The film, a restrained drama about guilt, complicity, and the elusive possibility of forgiveness, stars Xin Zhilei as Meiyun, whose life is upended when she encounters Zhang Songwen as Baoshu, the former lover who once went to prison for a crime she committed.

Cai, who won Venice's best director prize in 2011 for "People Mountain People Sea," describes a filmmaking journey interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains that the challenging climate for independent filmmaking in China during the lockdown years led him to shift his focus, moving from social criticism to exploring the spiritual life and internal struggles of the Chinese people.

"This film, we decided to focus on the theme of morality," Cai says. "It's a very Chinese story about morals in China. It talks about themes such as sacrifice, but also giving back and what you get in return for that sacrifice. But it's also talking about benevolence or kindness to the other person. But that also includes an element of hatred in it as well."

Collaborating with a talented international crew, including South Korean cinematographer Kim Hyunseok and French editor Matthieu Laclau, Cai has crafted a visually restrained yet emotionally powerful film that he hopes will resonate with audiences. As he looks ahead to his next project, a story about love and the search for a wife set during the Chinese New Year, Cai's artistic journey continues to evolve, reflecting the profound changes in Chinese society over the past few years.