'Til Madness Do Us Part

In a powerful and poignant observational documentary, Wang Bing delves into the daily lives of 50 men confined to one floor of a Chinese mental institution in Yunnan Province. The patients range from those who have killed someone or committed crimes against public officials to those with developmental disabilities, but their specific reasons for being there remain unclear, adding to the sense of unease and ambiguity that pervades the film. Through handheld camerawork and digital video, Wang Bing captures the intricate relationships between society and individuals in a place where isolation is both physical and emotional.