AllMovie

Jia Zhangke was born and raised in Fenyang, a small village in rural China, and while he's gone on to become one of China's most celebrated filmmakers, the influences of small town life can still be felt in his work. In 2006, Jia's film Still Life was awarded the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, and he returned home to an enthusiastic welcome. Accompanying Jia was French filmmaker Damien Ounouri, who joined the award-winning auteur as he paid a visit to Fenyang and explored the community he knew as a child. Xiao Jia Going Home is a documentary which follows Jia as he offers a guided tour of his home town, recalling the people and places that mattered to him and pointing out the ways Fenyang has changed as well as the ways it has stayed the same Xiao Jia Going Home was an official selection at the 2008 Melbourne International Film Festival.