A rare glimpse in to the tranquil, spiritual lives of Islamic devotion of the Hui people, a little-known Chinese Muslim community in a remote northwest province of mainland China. In the far mountains of Ningxia province, together with his son, old Ma Zishan is mourning his wife. According to the traditions, their son wants to sacrifice their only bull to mark the 40 days since her passing. Zishan isn’t against it, but his sorrow and his love for the old animal make him wonder. Even his prayers and the Imam don’t seem to erase his doubts. Until one morning the old bull stops eating and drinking. Has he seen the knife in the clear water? The debut feature from Wang Xuebo is a subtle and authentic portrayal of Islamic ritual in rural China imbued with magical possibilities.
Knife in the Clear Water (Qingshui Li De Daozi)
Film Details
Film
Knife in the Clear Water
Country
director
producer
screenwriter
cinematographer
cast
Film Synopsis
Trailer
The Asia Pacific Screen Academy expresses its respect for and acknowledgement of the South East Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of country, including the custodial communities on whose land works are created and celebrated by the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. We acknowledge the continuing connection to land, waters and communities. We also pay our respects to Elders, past and present. We recognise the integral role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations peoples continue to play in storytelling and celebration spaces.