In a small rural village in China in the 1990s, an olderly woman who raises geese is murdered. The prime suspect is arrested—a homeless man called the “madman,” whom the old woman had taken in. Chief Inspector Ma Zhe discovers a cassette tape inside a handbag found at the crime scene and pursues its secrets. Primarily shot on 16mm film, Only the River Flows brings to life the dark, dense, and gritty film noir through the unique texture of 16mm film. This isn’t a simple detective story about catching the criminal; rather, it delves into the characters plagued by inexplicable unease, police officers growing increasingly helpless as the investigation progresses, and the enveloping fog and eerie atmosphere. In this way, the film shows the inner world of an individual in the 1990s, amid escalating political pressure and intensifying reforms. Brutal yet laced with humor, Wei Shujun’s distinctive style shines through this film. (PARK Sun Young)