The Botanist
In Jing Yi’s fantastical, lushly framed drama set in rural northwestern China, a lonely 13-year-old Kazakh boy in touch with the wonders of nature befriends a local Han girl, only for the call of the modern outside world to come calling.
Tickets
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Friday, May 23, 2025
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Saturday, May 24, 2025
- Limited Availability
- On Standby
- Matinee
Zhi Wu Xue Jia (The Botanist) follows Arsin (Jahseleh Yesl), a young boy living with his grandmother in the remote and peaceful Xinjiang region of China. Arsin spends his days in solitude, collecting and cataloging plants. His quiet life is shaken by the unexpected arrival of his older brother, who is fleeing a violent situation in Beijing, and Meiyu (Ren Zihan), a Mandarin-speaking Han girl who begins working at her family’s general store. As Arsin and Meiyu form a friendship, a puppy-love romance starts to bloom. In his directorial debut, Jing Yi delivers an intimate exploration of youth, nature, and first love, blending magical realism with a grounded portrayal of rural life. The cinematography by Vanon Li, using a 4:3 aspect ratio, captures the expansive rural landscape as the backdrop to this simple and understated story. Despite being first-time efforts for both the director and the cinematographer, the film feels accomplished, offering a subtle coming-of-age story devoid of grand dramatic developments. It’s a quiet reflection on the innocence of youth and the natural world, delivered with a keen sense of observation and sensitivity.
- Original Language Title: Zhi Wu Xue Jia 植物学家
- Director: Jing Yi
- Principal Cast: Jahseleh Yesl, Ren Zihan, Nurdaolet Jalen, Eramazan Sarhet, Jomajan Songhat
- Country: China
- Year: 2025
- Running Time: 96 min.
- Producer: Shan Zuolong, Qi Ai
- Screenplay: Jing Yi
- Cinematographers: Li Vanon
- Editors: Liu Yaonan
- Music: Peyman Yazdanian
- Awards: Berlinale 2025 (Grand Prix: Generation Kplus)
- Filmography: Debut Feature Film
- Language: Kazakh, Mandarin
- Has Subtitles: Yes
- Format: DCP
- International Sales: Magnify