Director Gu You revealed plans for a fourth film in his landscape painting-influenced series during the world premiere of “The First Taste of Loneliness” at the Busan International Film Festival. The announcement comes after the completion of three previous works that have established a distinctive visual and philosophical approach to cinema.
“The First Taste of Loneliness” marks the third entry in the series and explores the experiences of three generations of women confronting loneliness following their father’s death. The film stars Zhou Xun, Xi Meijuan, and Wang Shengdi in this China-France coproduction, with Losange Films handling international sales and Tandem Films managing the French release. The project was produced by Shan Zuolong and Du Kexin, with Gu writing the screenplay alongside Yang Yikun.
Gu originally conceived the series as a trilogy when creating the first film, “Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains,” which premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week in 2019. The second installment, “Dwelling by the West Lake,” competed at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2023 and subsequently opened the Beijing International Film Festival. During the creative process, Gu determined that the relationship between landscape and cinema warranted continued exploration.
The forthcoming fourth film may depart from the art-house aesthetic of its predecessors by incorporating elements of romance, road movies, or suspense narratives. Gu emphasized that despite completing three films, he views himself as merely beginning his investigation into cinema and landscape’s interconnection. The series is unified by its formal approach—employing extended takes resembling unrolled scrolls from traditional Chinese painting—and its philosophical engagement with classical Chinese thought to examine contemporary questions of mortality and human connection.
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