Black Coal Thin Ice

BLACK COAL, THIN ICE (2014) dir. Diao Yinan w/ Liao Fan, Kwei Lun-Mei, Wang Xuebing [110 min; DCP]

A landmark in Chinese crime film, BLACK COAL, THIN ICE is a dazzlingly stylized mystery that blends Fincher-esque genre elements and social commentary. It all begins with the discovery of a hand on a coal conveyor belt. Cop Zhang (Liao Fan) tries to solve the case but, years later, the body parts are still showing up. The film won the Golden Bear for Best Film, as well as the Silver Bear for Best Actor, at the 2014 Berlin International Film Festival.