This Winter

Four armed police soldiers who work guarding an embassy in Beijing have ended their term of service. These four young men, ranging in age from 20 to 25, all worked as film projectionists for the squad, and after the final outdoor screening, each soldier marks leaving the squad in his own personal way. Ren Yong goes to Tiananmen to give blood, while Fang Lei resolves to lose his virginity. Rou Quan stands sentry one last time at his former place of work, and Cai Fengcai sings at a party for ex-servicemen. The four then leave the squad behind them, with three boarding trains back to their respective family homes, while one remains to work and be with his girlfriend in Beijing, a city which still feels unfamiliar after nine years.

• Hua ZhongDirector