Finding warmth in Beijing

Outside a crowded room in a downtown cinema during the 16th Beijing International Film Festival held late last month, he patiently signed posters one after another, pausing for selfies with a gentle smile. At one point, he even stopped an event organizer to ask fans to speed up the signing process and skip photos, so the long line could move more quickly.

For Zaitsev, 50, who brought his latest film, Two People in One Life and a Dog, to Beijing, the warmth of the reception came as an unexpected surprise. Chinese audiences, he said, often picked up on subtle details and emotional nuances that even Russian moviegoers had overlooked.