Dead Pigs

by Cathy Yan International Feature Film / Competition

A mysterious stream of pig carcasses floats silently toward China’s populous economic hub, Shanghai. As authorities struggle to explain the phenomenon, pig farmer Wang is faced with a bitter reality: Shortly after treating himself to a pair of the latest and largely overpriced VR glasses, his pigs begin to die for no apparent reason too. Meanwhile, Wang’s sister, who runs a well-established beauty salon, is facing problems of her own: her beloved ancestral home is to be replaced by a large-scale building project. The American architect responsible continually tries to impress his employer, but has little knowledge of Chinese culture. In the meantime, Wang’s son falls in love with a high-society girl whose friends are exclusively interested in material things.
With a perfect balance of humour and tragedy, Cathy Yan uses five different characters in order to create a complex mosaic which puts emphasis on the current changes taking place in Chinese urban society.