"Mountains May Depart," a film by award-winning Chinese director Jia Zhangke, has premiered in Beijing. Earlier this year, he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

'Mountains May Depart‘

Jia was joined on the red carpet by many luminaries of the Chinese film biz, among them actress Fan Bingbing.

"I heard that Dong Zijian and Zhang Aijia play a couple with a lot of age difference in the movie. Just now, I asked him how he felt. He said: 'Sister, it's not a big issue anymore for me to have an older girlfriend.' I'm so happy to be here and watch 'Mountains May Depart' with all of you. I like Jia Zhangke very much, and I hope this film will be a box-office success. I will watch and appreciate the movie soon," Fan said.

"Mountains May Depart" is Jia's eighth feature film. It follows a Golden-Lion Award at Venice for his "Still Life" in 2006, and Best Screenplay for "A Touch Of Sin" at Cannes in 2013.

This year, Cannes also presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award, or "Carrosse d'Or."

"Mountains May Depart" was partly shot in Jia's hometown, Fen Yang, in Shan'xi province, and partly in Australia. Its themes of alienation and melancholy address current societal trends.

"There is a scene in the film. The mother played by Zhao Tao gives her son a bunch of keys, saying: 'You should keep the keys of our home.' I left my hometown at the age of 21. Since then, I was not home very often, and I didn't spend much time with my mom," Jia said.

"Once, when I visited her, she gave me the keys of our home, saying 'You should keep them.' When I walked downstairs, I couldn't stop crying. I realized I didn't have the keys of my home. I hope that after watching this film, you can also get those keys back. Thank you."

"Mountains May Depart" is scheduled for national release on October 30.

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