After losing her house and husband, rural woman Wang Erhao leads a stranded life with her ten-year-old brother- in-law in a modified “recreational vehicle”. She drives this “recreational vehicle” around different villages, and talks about her unknown past to her little brother-in-law along the way in retrospect of her life. In order to find a warm place to survive the cold winter, she pretends to be a shaman to rid villagers of evil spirits, and ironically, her juggled deceits often become real. However, she soon loses her power to people’s greed and apathy, and in meager attempts of salvation, her life story eventually ends in tragedy and disillusionment.
Born in 1980, China, Cai Chengjie graduated from Shaanxi Technology University, and majored in Art Design. He worked as a TV show director in China Central Television for several years before making films. The Widowed Witch is his directorial debut which won the Hivos Tiger Competition at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Beijing Coloured Glaze Production
Tian Tian, Wen Xinyu, Wang Qilin, Wang Fuyou
Producers: Jiao Feng, Hu Xiaotao
Script: Cai Chengjie
Cinematography: Jiao Feng
Sound: Ren Yiming
Editor: Li Cheng
Music: Li Qiang, Jin Weiye
Art Design: Li Zhengzong, Hu Xiaotao
International Film Festival Rotterdam
Main Competition - Hivos Tiger Award
Las Palmas International Film Festival
Best Film, Best Director and Best Actress
Zerkalo International Film Festival
Best Artistic Contribution Award
Hong Kong International Film Festival
Taipei Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
Buenos Aires International Independent Film Festival