2012, Li Luo, 67 minutes

Li Luo has taken three chapters of the Ming Dynasty novel Journey to the West (aka Monkey), concerning Emperor Li Shimin’s temporary death and journey to hell, and adapted them to the world of modern-day Chinese officials, bureaucrats, and gangsters.

The Dragon King has disturbed the course of nature and is sentenced to death. The emperor tries to step in to prevent it, but he underestimates the power of dreams. Now Li is lying on his deathbed, beset by stray ghosts. Can he be saved?

Festivals:

29th Vancouver International Film Festival, winner of the Dragons and Tigers Award for Young Cinema

42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam, Bright Future section

37th Hong Kong International Film Festival

42nd New Directors/New Films festival, presented jointly by MoMA and the Film Society of Lincoln Center

Li Luo studied film in Canada. His first short films received widespread praise and have screened at festivals and in galleries. In 2009, he made his feature debut. His second film, Rivers and My Father (2010), won the Image Prize at the Images Festival in Toronto. Emperor Visits the Hell won the Dragons and Tigers Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival. He is currently working on his new project East Lake Tales.