Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting Review: Qiu Jiongjiong Returns With a Sensory Banquet

Background and Director’s Vision

Qiu Jiongjiong earned international attention with his debut fiction feature, A New Old Play, which won the Locarno Film Festival prize in 2021. That film explored the life of an actor moving through distinct Chinese historical periods, using a meticulously built studio set to convey each era. With Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting, Qiu returns to the controlled environment of a soundstage, this time to stage a series of elaborate banquet sequences that serve as a conduit for myth, memory and contemporary concerns.

From “A New Old Play” to “Fuxi”

The transition from an actor‑centric narrative to a banquet‑centric one reflects Qiu’s fascination with ritual as a storytelling device. In an interview with the Locarno Film Festival, he explained that food functions as a universal language that can bridge past and present, personal and collective.

Story Structure and Themes

Fuxi is organized around four distinct feasts, each set in a different temporal or mythic context. The film does not follow a traditional linear plot; instead, each segment offers a self‑contained story that contributes to an overarching meditation on desire, power and cultural continuity.

Four Feasts, Four Narratives

• Feast of the Ancestors – a ritual dinner that reenacts an ancient myth about the first ruler of humanity.
• Feast of the Scholar – a banquet set in a late imperial academy where intellectual ambition clashes with personal longing.
• Feast of the Revolution – a chaotic celebration during a period of political upheaval, highlighting the tension between collective ideology and individual hunger.
• Feast of the Future – a speculative gathering that imagines a post‑pandemic society where technology mediates the act of eating.

Myth, Memory and Modernity

Each tale weaves together elements of Chinese folklore with contemporary social commentary. By placing mythic figures at modern tables, Qiu invites viewers to consider how ancient narratives continue to shape present identities. The film also touches on themes of sustainability, the commodification of tradition and the sensory overload of modern life.

Visual and Auditory Design

Qiu’s background in visual arts is evident in the film’s striking composition. The camera often moves slowly across richly textured tables, allowing the audience to linger on the details of porcelain, incense and the subtle play of light.

Studio Craftsmanship

The production design team constructed each banquet set within a single, expansive studio space. This approach mirrors the director’s earlier work, where controlled lighting and set pieces create a heightened reality. The result is a series of tableaux that feel both theatrical and cinematic.

Soundscape as Narrative

Sound plays a central role in the film’s storytelling. From the clatter of chopsticks to the low hum of conversation, the audio design layers ambient noise with a carefully composed score. The film’s composer, who previously collaborated with Qiu on A New Old Play, uses traditional instruments alongside electronic textures to underscore the tension between past and present.

Performance and Casting

The ensemble cast includes several actors who appeared in Qiu’s debut, creating a sense of continuity across his oeuvre. Each performer adapts to the tonal shift required by the specific feast, demonstrating a range that moves from solemn reverence to frantic exuberance.

Lead Actors and Their Transformations

Lead actor Li Wei embodies the role of the mythic ruler in the first feast, delivering a performance that balances authority with vulnerability. In the third segment, actress Zhou Lin portrays a revolutionary poet whose hunger for change is mirrored by her appetite for the banquet’s abundant dishes. Their ability to navigate the film’s shifting emotional registers is a testament to Qiu’s direction.

Critical Reception and Festival Circuit

Since its premiere at the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival, the film has generated buzz for its immersive sensory experience. Critics have praised its bold visual style while noting that the non‑linear structure may challenge viewers accustomed to conventional narratives.

Accolades and Audience Response

• Special Jury Mention at the 2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam.
• Best Production Design nomination at the Asian Film Awards.
• Positive audience scores on major streaming platforms, with particular praise for the sound design.

Industry observers point to the film’s ability to engage audiences on a visceral level, describing it as “a banquet for the senses” in a review by China’s National Radio and Television Administration.

What to Expect at the Theaters

Viewing Fuxi: Four Tales of Feasting in a cinema equipped with a high‑quality sound system enhances the experience. The layered audio, combined with the detailed visual composition, creates an environment where viewers feel as if they are seated at the tables themselves. The film’s pacing rewards patience; each feast unfolds gradually, inviting contemplation rather than rapid consumption.

For audiences seeking a film that blends artistic ambition with cultural reflection, Qiu Jiongjiong’s latest work offers a richly textured journey. Its emphasis on ritual, texture and sound makes it a standout addition to contemporary Chinese cinema.