Wrath of Silence

Wrath of Silence is director Xin Yukun's second feature; his first film, The Coffin in the Mountain, brought him international awards, though he'd actually written this film's script before that one and held it back until he felt ready. The film follows a mute miner whose daughter goes missing, leading to a reckoning with a corrupt coal boss in Baotou, Inner Mongolia; it opened widely in China on April 4, 2018. It won the Jury Special Award at the 2nd Macau International Film Festival on December 14, 2017, and also screened at the New York Asian Film Festival and the Udine Far East Film Festival. Who it's for: anyone curious about a Chinese thriller, winner of international festival awards, about a mute miner's reckoning with a corrupt coal boss after his daughter goes missing. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a fast, dialogue heavy thriller, since the lead character's muteness directly shapes the film's storytelling.