“I think, in my own films, the rhythms come from life” – Jia Zhangke

The eighth season of Modern Cinema features the work of contemporary filmmaker Jia Zhangke, a leading figure of China’s “Sixth Generation” film directors. Jia’s expansive body of work over the past twenty years offers a look into the lives of individuals against the larger backdrop of China’s social changes, juxtaposing epic ambition and fantasy with everyday experiences. Often compared to legendary directors Michelangelo Antonioni and Roberto Rossellini, Jia channels their storytelling sensibilities into chronicles of twenty-first-century China, weaving gritty realism together with sublime beauty. Eleven of Jia’s features and documentary profiles will screen alongside films that inspire him, films which he deeply admires, and those that share similar themes.

Modern Cinema is a film series exploring the dynamic interactions between cinema’s past and present. Presented by SFMOMA and in partnership with BAMPFA and in affiliation with our community partner SFFILM.

Modern Cinema’s Founding Supporters are Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein. Support is provided by Nion McEvoy and the Susan Wildberg Morgenstein Fund.

Header image: Jia Zhangke, 24 CITY, 2009 (still); image: courtesy Cinema Guild