Zhang Yimou's comedy to be Spring Festival film contender

According to a recent announcement, Article 20, the latest directorial outing by Zhang Yimou, will open on Feb 10, the first day of the Year of the Dragon, making it a powerful contender in the competition for the lucrative Spring Festival box office.

It will be the third of Zhang's features to be released during the festival, following Snipers in 2022, and Full River Red last year.

From Red Sorghum, a Golden Bear winner at the Berlin Film Festival, to the martial arts epic Hero, Zhang is widely regarded as a prolific auteur who excels in both artistic expression and commercial success.

With a stellar cast featuring Lei Jiayin and Ma Li, the comedy tells the story of a prosecutor who, in middle age, wants to make a final effort with his career but becomes unexpectedly embroiled in a contentious case.

During a recent news conference in Beijing, Zhang described the movie as the most comedic of all his films, emphasizing that its portrayal of the lives of ordinary people and reflection of reality will resonate with many ordinary families.