A new era of cinematic ambition takes shape in Bi Gan’s “Resurrection,” a film poised to redefine what it means to dream on screen. Following his hypnotic explorations in “Kaili Blues” and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,“ the Chinese auteur returns with an anthology that blurs the line between reality and reverie, starring Jackson Yee and Shu Qi.

Janus Films has announced a December 12 U.S. release, accompanied by a full trailer that hints at the vertiginous scope of Bi’s latest vision.

Set in a world where humanity has forgotten how to dream, “Resurrection” centers on a solitary creature, enthralled by the fading echoes of imagination. When a woman with the rare ability to see through these spectral illusions enters his dreamscape, the boundaries between perception and reality begin to unravel, revealing hidden truths that have long lain dormant.

Speaking at the Busan International Film Festival, Bi Gan framed the film as less an “era of cinema” than a meditation on memory itself. “Cinema will not come to an end,” he said. “This film isn’t about an era ending; it’s about how audiences carry their memories of film. Painting didn’t end, art does not end. There is still a reason for it.”

“Resurrection” made a late but striking entrance at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 22, 2025, after initially missing the shortlist. Its delay stemmed from domestic clearance by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, which eventually granted the film a public screening license. It went on to compete at the 30th Busan International Film Festival in September and at the 70th Valladolid International Film Festival, drawing critical attention for its audacious style and narrative opacity. A particularly arresting long take near the film’s climax has already become a point of discussion among cinephiles.

Released in China on November 22, 2025, with subsequent openings in Hong Kong and Taiwan, “Resurrection” has earned generally positive reviews, cementing Bi Gan’s reputation as a director unafraid to challenge conventional storytelling.

With Janus Films acquiring North American rights, U.S. audiences will soon have the chance to step into the labyrinthine dreamworlds Bi has meticulously constructed, a place where the impossible feels tangible, and the line between memory and imagination dissolves.

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