Yellow Earth
“After tradition… comes revolution.”
A communist soldier is sent to a remote region of China in order to collect folk songs. Staying with a peasant family (a widower with two small children), he discovers a community whose way of life is completely alien to him, but he gradually wins their trust.
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Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
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Cast
5 people
Chen Kaige Director · Ziliang Zhang Screenplay Lan Ke Author
United States release April 11, 1986 · Produced in China · Production Guangxi Film Studio
Production
广西电影制片厂
Production
Guangxi Film Studio
Production
China
Produced in
Languages
Original title
黄土地
Original language
Chinese
Spoken on screen
Chinese
Release dates
China · August 19, 1984
Theatrical
United States · April 11, 1986
Premiere · New York New Directors and New Films Festival
Canada
September 10, 1985 · Premiere · Toronto International Film Festival
China
June 14, 2009 · Premiere · Shanghai International Film Festival
April 11, 2018 · Premiere · Beijing International Film Festival(4K Restoration)
September 24, 2024 · Premiere · Pingyao International Film Festival(Restored)
Finland
December 4, 1987 · Theatrical
Germany
May 18, 1987 · Theatrical
Hong Kong SAR China
May 9, 1985 · Theatrical
August 25, 2018 · Premiere · Summer International Film Festival(Restored)
March 18, 2019 · Premiere · Hong Kong International Film Festival(Restored)
April 2, 2026 · Premiere · Hong Kong International Film Festival
Hungary
January 5, 1989 · Theatrical
Italy
October 12, 1985 · Premiere · Cinema Giovani
Japan
July 12, 1986 · Theatrical
October 1, 1989 · Premiere · Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival
January 23, 2004 · Physical · DVD
Netherlands
August 6, 1987 · Theatrical
Portugal
February 25, 1991 · Limited theatrical
Singapore
February 15, 2015 · Premiere · NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore
August 31, 2018 · Premiere · Asian Film Archive(Restored)
South Korea
October 14, 1999 · Premiere · Pusan International Film Festival
Spain
August 2, 1989 · Theatrical
Sweden
October 29, 1986 · Theatrical
Switzerland
August 10, 1985 · Premiere · Locarno Film Festival
United Kingdom
August 14, 1985 · Premiere · Edinburgh International Film Festival
More from Chen Kaige
Other films they directed, best known first.
Some details come from TheTVDB.