Chinese director Jia Zhangke's Still Life, which just won the grand prize at the Venice International Film Festival, has been added to the screening list for the Toronto International Film Festival under the category of "Visions."

 

　　

 

Still Life is a companion film to Jia's documentary Dong, which will also be shown during the Toronto International Film Festival. 　　

 

It was shot entirely in Fengjie, China, a town completely transformed by the construction of the Three Gorges hydro project.

 

Still Life beautifully captures a city and the lives and relationships of those living within it, who manage to blossom in brilliant colors even in the face of deconstruction and desperation. 　　

 

Jia Zhangke has previously thrilled Festival audiences with Platform, Unknown Pleasure and The World.

 

(CRI September 13, 2006)