To Live (1994) poster3

China10 Essential Chinese FilmsStop 3 of 10

To Live

活着

1994 · 133 min · Drama

Spanning the upheavals of mid-20th-century China from civil war through the Cultural Revolution, this epic follows one ordinary couple who lose their fortune and endure wave after wave of history's cruelty with stubborn resilience. Zhang Yimou's humane, sweeping drama.

Runtime
133 min
Genre
Drama · Romance · War
Mood
tense · romantic · thoughtful
Entry
easy entry
Best for
first visit

Content notes: war or political violence · child harm or distress Non-exhaustive

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Part of 10 Essential Chinese Films

This film is stop 3 of 10 in the hand-ranked native-cinema route through China. See the complete ranking or read the selection methodology.

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