'Return to Dust' is the next offering in WWU's Cinema East Film Series on Jan. 16

The next film in the Cinema East film series at Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay Street) is Li Ruijun’s feature, Return to Dust, which screens on Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:45 p.m. at the Pickford Film Center downtown.

According the Pickford’s website, Return to Dust is described as a “tender tale about the transformative nature of love,” centered on two lonely, middle-aged outcasts who are pushed into an arranged marriage by their families.  

“Ma (Wu Renlin) is a humble farmer with little to offer his timid and sickly wife, Cao (Hai Qing), except for a small, abandoned house on a barren patch of land. From just a few seeds, their newly planted crops take root and flourish; and similarly, an unexpected bond between the two starts to blossom. As seasons pass their dedication to each other grows stronger but change and adversity soon threaten the idyllic existence they share.” 

The Cinema East film series is co-presented by Western Libraries and Pickford Film Center, with film selections curated by WWU librarian Jeff Purdue. Films are often accompanied by introductions from educators and experts.  Return to Dust will be introduced by Roger Thompson, Professor of Chinese History at Western Washington University. 

For more information about the Cinema East series, please see the PFC website, or contact Jeff Purdue at: purduej@wwu.edu, (360)-650-7750. All PFC theaters are ADA accessible with wheelchair seating, and closed captioning and assistive listening devices are available at the box office. For questions about or to request disability accommodation, please contact Meghan Schilling, meghan@pickfordfilmcenter.org.