Befriending the Black Dog of fate

A scene from the film features Peng and the black dog. In the film, I see the black dog as not just an animal but as an individual like Erlang, fighting both loneliness and prejudice," he says. "Jia has a unique presence and seamlessly blends in among the group of rugged residents in the small northwestern town," Guan says. Liang, who is Guan's wife and collaborator of many years, says that the film makes heavy use of long shots instead of close-ups to lend a restrained approach to its visual language and avoid excessive sentimentality. "I believe that allowing the audience to immerse themselves in a different life through the screen is the most significant gift that film bestows upon us," Guan says.