Film Jam in collaboration with Con Artist, Ma Studios, Lava Films and Bionaut are proud to celebrate the World Premiere of Jurgis Matulevičius’ China Sea, as part of the Critics’ Picks Competition, at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on 18th November.
Martial arts champion Osvald accidentally injures a girl on the street and is expelled from the sports federation. Unable to travel and participate in tournaments in Asia, where he is famous, Osvald is forced to stay in his desolate hometown in East Europe, tormented by guilt. He spends his days in a cheap Asian restaurant “China Sea”owned by his only remaining friend, a Taiwanese immigrant Ju-Long. Attending group psychotherapy sessions prescribed by court, Osvald meets a mysterious woman Skaiste and feels intensely drawn to her. Searching for redemption and desperate for love, he begins to lose touch with reality. Clinging to what he has at all costs, Osvald resorts to violence again, this time, not by an accident.
China Sea is the first-ever co-production between Lithuania and Taiwan, featuring a unique cast ensemble of well-known actors from both countries, who perform in a hybrid dialect that blends Mandarin and Lithuanian. Speaking on this monumental collaboration, producer Ieva Cern said “In this political climate, it is a great pleasure for a country like Lithuania to have as co-producers not only our close European partners from Poland and the Czech Republic, but also Taiwan — a country we deeply relate to and that has brought an absolutely outstanding cast to the film.”
Written by Saulė Bliuvaitė, who’s debut feature Toxic won Best Film and Best Debut at Locarano 2024, China Sea was developed as part of ScripTeast. Inspired by real events, the film offers a powerful commentary on toxic masculinity.
Directed by Jurgis Matulevičius (Isaac), the film stars Marius Repšys (The Saint), Severija Janušaauskaité (Isaac, Lotus, Babylon Berlin), Jian Huang / ⿈健瑋 (Life of Pi, Wave Makers), Vaidotas Martinaitis (Stranger Things), Sonia Yuan / 袁⼦芸 (Drive My Car, Wave Makers) and Yi-ching Lu / 陸弈靜 (To the Sea, What Time Is It There?).
China Sea celebrates its World Premiere in competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival on 18th November
