Well acted and constructed script, I have never seen an account of this historical event in a movie before. The actors ALL did a great job. I especially loved the great-granddad and his great grandson,'the fixer'(Xiao Zhan). My only criticism was, it seemed to short, I wanted to learn more about the main 3 adult characters.
I was incredibly lucky to have watched Ge Zhi town in cinemas and let me tell you , this is a movie that leaves a very strong impression on the viewers.
As a foreign viewer with only a vague understanding of Chinese history, Ge Zhi Town still reached me in a deeply personal way. I may not have grasped every historical detail, but I felt every emotion. The film speaks in a language that doesn’t need translation—loss, hope, moral struggle, and the quiet resilience of ordinary people caught in extraordinary times.
Xiao Zhan’s performance is especially moving. He brings a gentle humanity to his character, making his pain, doubts, and quiet courage feel intimate and real. Through his eyes, the story becomes less about history and more about the universal experience of being human when the world is falling apart.
Ge Zhi Town reminded me that even when cultures and histories differ, emotions do not. It’s a film that lingers not because of what you know, but because of what you feel.
