Bound in Heaven
Two lonely souls tightly intertwine after a chance encounter. Tragedy will soon devour them.
Ni Ni plays Xia You, a successful finance professional with a seemingly perfect life. Beneath this glittering facade, however, lies a dark secret: she has an abusive partner (Liao Fan) who subjects her to severe physical and psychological violence. Desperate to see her favourite star Faye Wong in concert, Xia’s search for scalped tickets leads her to a fateful encounter with Xu Zitai (Zhou You), a terminally ill man. Their chemistry is immediate, and their first sexual encounter in a dark alley is unforgettable. When Xia later meets Xu Zitai by chance during a business trip in the city, where he now runs a small noodle shop, she may never leave him again.
The debut feature of renowned scriptwriter Huo Xin, “Bound in Heaven” is a poignant tale of love and resilience starring Ni Ni, Zhou You, and Liao Fan. This deeply touching film tackles domestic violence and terminal illness with assured direction and outstanding performances.
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. At the San Sebastian Film Festival, the film won Best Cinematography and the FIPRESCI Award.
Kun bang shang tian tang (Bound in Heaven, 2024)