The most extraordinary thing about Chinese director Lou Ye's An Unfinished Film (2024) is how ordinary it is, considering the attention it has garnered globally. In semi-documentary style, the 106-minute flick follows a film crew as they try to resurrect a 10-year-old project, and find themselves quarantined at a hotel near Wuhan, China, in the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Lou's movies are known for their intricate storylines and complex figures, but An Unfinished Film is surprisingly simple, containing little plot or character development.

Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the modest feature has become one of the most lauded and controversial Chinese movies in recent years. Although it is censored in China, the film has won Best Director

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