Pingyao [China], September 18 : Leonardo DiCaprio starrer and Paul Thomas Anderson's latest directorial 'One Battle After Another' will open the Galas section of the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival (PIFF), reported Variety.
The festival, scheduled to run from September 24 to 30, 2025, will present a robust international lineup across various sections, with the Galas program leading the charge.
'One Battle After Another' is loosely based on the 1990 novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon.The thriller centres on a group of former revolutionaries who reunite after 16 years to confront an enemy that has re-emerged. DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, with Regina Hall co-starring as Deandra, as per the outlet.
Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, 'One Battle After Another' features a starry supporting cast including Benicio del Toro, Teyana Taylor and Sean Penn.
According to the outlet, the Galas program features a strong international slate, including Fukada Koji's 'Love on Trial,' Miyake Sho's 'Two Seasons, Two Strangers,' Mendonca Filho Kleber's 'The Secret Agent,' Roustayi Saeed's 'Woman and Child,' Mariko Tetsuya's 'Dear Stranger,' Joachim Trier's 'Sentimental Value,' Dominik Moll's 'Case137,' and Kelly Reichardt's 'The Mastermind.'
In Hidden Dragons section of the festival, the first and sophomore features dominate with Yan Kun-ao's 'Jet Lag in Summer,' Meng Xing's 'Happy Girls,' Li Dongmei's 'Guo Ran,' Tan Siyou's 'Amoeba,' Qi Yanyan's documentary 'The Toddling Youths,' Zheng Xusong's documentary 'A Long Way Home,' Zhang Zhongchen's 'Nighttime Sounds,' Shen Ko-shang's 'Deep Quiet Room,' Njo Kui Ying's '#4 Road to Vendetta,' Ng Kai Chung Tommy's animated 'Another World,' and Luo Yan's 'West Border,' reported Variety.
As for the Crouching Tigers, this section brings international discoveries, among them Max Walker-Silverman's 'Rebuilding,' Kinoshita Baku's animated 'The Last Blossom,' Davies Jr. Akinola's 'My Father's Shadow,' Valery Carnoy's 'Wild Foxes,' Juan Branco's 'The Massacre of Gilles de Rais,' Sven Bresser's 'Reedland,' Fujimoto Akio's 'Lost Land,' Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love,' Laura Wandel's 'Adam's Sake,' Seto Momoko's animated 'Dandelion's Odyssey,' and Hasan Hadi's 'The President's Cake,' reported Variety.
The Made-in-Shanxi showcase highlights local talent with Song Lei's 'The Awkward Life of Mulan,' Yan Song's 'Prophetic Dreams,' Gu Ying's 'A Woman in Their Eyes,' Miao Zhuangzhuang's 'Daughters,' Kong Jiahuan's 'A Falsetto Boy,' and Wei Dongchen's 'On the Road,' reported Variety.
Special Presentations include Andrea Segre's 'The Great Ambition' and companion short 'Us and the Great Ambition,' Kim Dong-ho's documentary 'Mr. Kim Goes to the Cinema,' Feng Xiaogang's 'A World Without Thieves,' and Zhang Dalei's short 'Happy New Year Mr. Wood,' reported Variety.
The lineup concludes with the Cinephile section featuring Yu Shui's animated film "Nobody."