6TH EDITION ★ MARCH 2025 ★ GHENT
Zhang Wei
The Rib
Drama
2018
Jianguo, a widower and devout Christian, is not mentally equipped to handle the situation when the hospital assigned to do his daughter Huanyu’s sex change operation – permitted by law – requires the permission of family members, despite the patient being an adult. Faced with Huanyu's unexpected revelation, Jianguo is completely lost, he lacks the ability to even differentiate between transgender, homosexual, sick or sinful. The small community of trans people which Huanyu now sees as family has to face constant hostility and humiliation, even in professional environments.
85 min
Mandarin
About the Director
Zhang Wei was born in Hunan Province of China, and he studied Directing at the Beijing Film Academy as well as Cinema Studies at the Chinese National Academy of Arts. In his film-making career, to date he has directed seven features including 'Beijing Dream' (2010) and 'Shadow Puppet Show of One Person' (2011), both of which received acclaim from critics. His third feature 'Factory Boss' (2014) won Best Actor Award at Montréal World Film Festival, Fajr Award for Best Original Screenplay at Fajr International Film Festival, and has been shown at numerous festivals. His fourth feature 'Destiny' (2016) won Best Actress Award and Best Actor Award at New York SR Socially Relevant Film Festival. 'Ballad From Tibet' (2017) is his fifth feature and won multiple awards including Best Children’s Feature at China International Children’s Film Festival.