'Til Madness Do Us Part


Til Madness Do Us Part is a 2013 Chinese cinema verité documentary film directed by Wang Bing. It observes the daily activity on one floor of a Chinese mental institution in Yunnan, Southwest of China.
The film had its world premiere out of competition at the 70th Venice International Film Festival, on 4 September 2013.

Premise

The floor of the Chinese mental institution houses 50 male patients, including individuals who have killed someone, those who committed crimes against public officials, and those with developmental disabilities. It is not clearly stated why the men are in the mental institution, adding to the observational approach of the documentary. The documentary film uses handheld camerawork and digital video to capture the relationship between society and individuals. Towards the end of the film, one of the patients is allowed to return to his home village. It creates a contrast to the isolation and atmosphere of the mental institution.

Reception

Slant Magazine said, "Whether in terms of filmmaking or indeed reality itself, it's hard to think of a more quietly radical proposition than the one Wang is making here: There's compassion to be found in even the harshest of circumstances; it's all about knowing where to look."

Festivals

The documentary was shown at the following festivals