Zheng Louqian is one of a family whose lives are defined by coal mining in ‘The Shaft’
By Ray Bennett
KARLOVY VARY, Czech Republic — In three bittersweet episodes, Chinese filmmaker Zhang Chi’s “The Shaft” observes the monotony and frustration of workers whose lives are defined by the coal mines that offer the only local employment.
Education alone provides the possibility of escape from the honest but hazardous work and the characters depicted grapple with their fate in various ways. While illuminating and poignant, the film lacks the cinematic originality that might win it attention beyond festival showings.
Read my full review in The Hollywood Reporter