The Jia Zhangke-produced Mr. Tree is the first major production in the Wings Project the acclaimed director initiated to finance talented young filmmakers, and it successfully made budding writer-director Han Jie (Jia's assistant on films like Still Life) a name cineastes worldwide look forward to. Reflecting the absurd reality in the rapidly urbanizing China with a surreal touch and stylized visual flair, Han Jie's offbeat satire has made the rounds of international film festivals, winning critical acclaim and even some accolades in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Pusan, Locarno, and Vladivostok.Popular actor Wang Baoqiang (Romancing In Thin Air, Blind Shaft) gives a compelling performance as Shu (Mandarin for "tree"), a humble car mechanic in a remote village about to be relocated to make way for an expanding coal mine. Wandering between his village and the city in search of a new job - and perhaps some elusive esteem - Shu falls in love with deaf-mute massage parlor girl Xiaomei (Tan Zhuo, Spring Fever). A twist of fate takes place on their wedding night, and Shu begins to experience peculiar visions of the future. When some of those visions turn out to be true, the village clown suddenly becomes a respected prophet people call "Mr. Tree"... YesAsia
