Caught by the Tides

2024 film by Jia Zhangke

Caught by the Tides

Theatrical release poster

Chinese name
Simplified Chinese| 风流一代
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Fēngliú yīdài
Directed by| Jia Zhangke
Written by|

* Wan Jiahuan
* Jia Zhangke

Produced by|

* Shôzô Ichiyama
* Casper Liang Jiayan

Starring| Zhao Tao
Cinematography|

* Yu Lik-wai
* Éric Gautier

Edited by|

* Yang Chao
* Xudong Lin
* Matthieu Laclau

Music by| Lim Giong

Production
companies

* Xstream Pictures
* Momo Pictures
* MK2 Films
* Huanxi Media Group Limited
* Wishart Media Co., Ltd.

Release dates

* 18 May 2024 (2024-05-18) (Cannes)
* 22 November 2024 (2024-11-22) (China)

Running time

| 111 minutes
Country| China
Language| Mandarin

Caught by the Tides (Chinese: 风流一代, lit. 'Romantic Generation') is 2024 Chinese drama film directed by Jia Zhangke, and written by Wan Jianhuan and Zhangke, based on footage across 22 years, some from Jia's previous films, in an impressionistic non-linear blend of fiction and non-fiction.[1][2]

The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where had its world premiere on 18 May 2024.

## Plot

[edit]

In 2001, in the northern Chinese city of Datong, a working class woman named Qiao Qiao has a romantic relationship with her manager Guao Bin as she hustles to make a living as a singer, model, and club girl.[1] Guao Bin leaves Datong to try earning his living in another province, sending Qiao Qiao a text message that says he will bring her when he has money.[1][3] After a stretch, Qiao Qiao decides to go looking for him,[4] passing though communities which are being displaced by the Three Gorges Dam,[1] as well as Guangdong Province.[2] Meanwhile, Bin tries his hand at a number of businesses, including entering a shady business deal with a corrupt politician.[3] When Qiao Qiao finally finds Bin, she breaks up with him. They eventually re-unite in COVID-era China, after both have notably aged.[5][3]

## Cast

[edit]

* Zhao Tao as Qiao Qiao
* Li Zhubin as Bin
* Pan Jianlin
* Zhou Lan
* Lan Zhou
* Zhou You
* Renke

## Production

[edit]

The decision to use previous footage was sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made filming in China difficult. As Jia was revisiting two decades of footage, some of which was shot as experimentation with different techniques rather than to capture specific scenes, he realized he could potentially re-use the footage as material for a new film.[6]

Caught by the Tides is assembled from 22 years of footage, including many of Jia's previous characters and locations.[7] As a result the actors naturally age,[8] including the lead character, Qiao Qiao, who is played by Jia's real life wife, actress Zhao Tao.[7] Part of the film takes place in Fengjie, the same setting as Jia's Golden Lion-winning film Still Life (2006), which also starred Zhao Tao.[5]

Footage and outtakes from Unknown Pleasures, Still Life, and Ash Is Purest White were used in Caught by the Tides.[9] Approximately 10 scenes from the film have appeared in Jia's previous films.[10] Kodak Vision 2 and 3 film stock were used with Sony DSR-PD150, Sony Betacam, Sony HDV, Arricam LT 35mm, and Arri Alexa 35 cameras for the film.[11] The final section, set in contemporary China, was shot during the pandemic.[6] Editing was done using Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve was used for colour correction.[11]

## Release

[edit]

Caught by the Tides was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 18 May 2024.[12] The film played at the Toronto International Film Festival on 5 September 2024.[13] It was also selected in Gala Presentation at the 29th Busan International Film Festival and screened on 5 October 2024.[14]

The film was theatrically released in China on 22 November 2024.[15]

## Reception

[edit]

### Critical response

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97% based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10.[16] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 based on 11 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[17]

### Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date of ceremony  | Category  | Recipient(s)  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Cannes Film Festival | 25 May 2024 | Palme d'Or | Jia Zhangke | Nominated  | [18]
Cinema Eye Honors | 9 January 2024 | Heterodox Award  | Caught by the Tides | Nominated  | [19]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Halligan, Fionnuala. "'Caught By The Tides': Cannes Review". Screen. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
2. ^ a b Pond, Steve (18 May 2024). "'Caught by the Tides' Review: Jia Zhangke Stands Up for China but Watches Things Fall Apart". TheWrap. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
3. ^ a b c Rooney, David (18 May 2024). "'Caught by the Tides' Review: Jia Zhang-ke's Defining Theme of Modern China in Constant Transformation Yields an Elegiac Love Story". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
4. ^ "Caught by the Tides". Ad Vitam (in French). Retrieved 12 April 2024.
5. ^ a b Bradshaw, Peter (18 May 2024). "Caught by the Tides review – two-decade relationship tells story of China's epic transformation". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
6. ^ a b "Chinese director Jia mines leftover footage for top Cannes film". France 24. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
7. ^ a b Ehrlich, David (18 May 2024). "'Caught by the Tides' Review: Jia Zhang-ke's Drifting Portrait of Love Across Time Will Delight Fans and Mystify Newcomers". IndieWire. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
8. ^ Kiang, Jessica (18 May 2024). "'Caught by the Tides' Review: Jia Zhangke Weaves a Shimmering New Tapestry from Threads of His Previous Films". Variety. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
9. ^ Prakash 2025, p. 40.
10. ^ "Chinese director Jia mines leftover footage for top Cannes film". France 24. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
11. ^ a b Prakash 2025, p. 39.
12. ^ "The Screenings Guide of the 77th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
13. ^ "Caught by the Tides". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
14. ^ "Caught by the Tides". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 14 September 2024.
15. ^ "新片｜贾樟柯执导、赵涛主演《风流一代》定档11月22日". The Paper (in Chinese). 25 October 2024. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
16. ^ "Caught by the Tides". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
17. ^ "Caught by the Tides". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
18. ^ Ntim, Zac (11 April 2024). "Cannes Film Festival Lineup Set: Competition Includes Coppola, Audiard, Cronenberg, Arnold, Lanthimos, Sorrentino & Abbasi's Trump Movie — Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
19. ^ Hipes, Patrick (24 October 2024). "Cinema Eye Honors: 'Girls State', 'Ren Faire' Lead Broadcast Nominees; Audience Choice Award Longlist Revealed". Deadline. Retrieved 15 November 2024.

## Works cited

[edit]

* Prakash, Inney (2025). "Following the Currents". Filmmaker. Vol. 33, no. 3\. The Gotham Film & Media Institute.

## External links

[edit]

* Caught by the Tides at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Jia Zhangke

Feature films|

* Xiao Wu (1997)
* Platform (2000)
* Unknown Pleasures (2002)
* The World (2004)
* Still Life (2006)
* 24 City (2008)
* A Touch of Sin (2013)
* Mountains May Depart (2015)
* Ash Is Purest White (2018)
* Caught by the Tides (2024)

Documentaries|

* In Public (2001)
* Dong (2006)
* Useless (2007)
* I Wish I Knew (2010)
* Swimming Out Till the Sea Turns Blue (2020)

Short films|

* Xiao Shan Going Home (1995)
* Cry Me a River (2008)

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