Send Me to the Clouds

In this witty, existential drama, 29-year-old journalist Sheng Nan grapples with the social stigma of being a “leftover woman” (single past the age of 27) when she discovers she has ovarian cancer. To pay for her treatments, she takes a job as a ghost writer and hikes into the mountains to compose an aging man’s autobiography. Turbulent outbursts ensue as she interacts with her grumpy client, dysfunctional family, misogynistic coworker, and dreamlike romantic interest, all while trying to “make the most of it” before her surgery impacts her sex drive. Writer-director Teng Congcong’s debut feature speaks to struggles faced by a generation of women born under China’s one-child policy with humor and compassion. 2019, China, DCP, in Mandarin with English subtitles, 99 min.