Zhang Kaiyuan

In 139 BС Zhang Qian, official ambassador of Han Empire, led a diplomatic mission of more than 100 people to the Western Regions. One day Zhang and his guide Tang Yi were surveying a map as usual, but unexpectedly intercepted by the Huns on the way. The Huns captured prisoners for ten years, but it was only beginning of legendary Han expedition.

This is a story about 'the absence of love.' The film portrays three girls from different family backgrounds and upbringings, yet they share the same social identity—'left-behind children.' The film focuses on the psychological state and survival conditions of these children, who have grown up without familial affection. Using 'left-behind children,' a phenomenon born out of the era of reform and opening up, the story reflects the warmth and coldness of human relationships and the changes in society across various social strata in China during this era. The three girls are played by the same actress, creating a deeply Eastern portrait of contemporary Chinese society, with each seemingly independent character woven into a nuanced and atmospheric tableau.