Athens International Film Festival
aiff

THE SADNESS / KŪ BĒI

A couple try to reconnect in the midst of chaos caused by a pandemic in the city, as a mysterious virus turns people into sadistic beasts with invincible libidos, capable of the most unimaginable violence. A pandemic horror from Taiwan presented as a profane extravaganza of outrageous outbursts full of pure misanthropic carnage, ruthless zombies and nihilistic satire, tailor-made for macabre giggles in the dark. The grindhouse blood diamond of the year marks the end of politeness and order and the beginning of “The Sadness”.


TAIWAN | 2021 | COLOR | DCP | 99’ | MANDARIN, HOKKIEN

A harmless flu virus ‘that hasn’t caused one single death’ mutates into some kind of rabies turning humans into zombie-like sadistic beasts of overpowering libido, capable for the most unbelievable violence. What follows – you’ve been warned – is a relentless splatter which barely camouflages the obvious, not at all subtle and proper-like but wonderful critique on humankind.

“Sadness” is everywhere, nihilism is fierce, the pandemic resonance seismic. It’s a shame that the people this film is mostly about won’t be able to endure it. Be that as it may, Rob Jabbaz turned the norm of our massive navel-gazing psychosis into sacrilegious horror, anti-patriarchal satire and nihilistic orgy. A documentary. I.D.

DIRECTOR: Rob Jabbaz
SCREENWRITER: Rob Jabbaz
DoP: Jie-Li Bai
MUSIC: Tzechar
EDITOR: Rob Jabbaz
PRINCIPAL CAST: Regina Lei, Berant Zhu, Ying-Ru Chen, Tzu-Chiang Wang, Lue-Keng Huang, Wei-Hua Lan, Ralf Chiu, Chi-Min Chou

ROB JABBAZ
Canadian director, self-taught in animation – having directed several short films in the genre. He works in Taiwan, where his feature fiction debut takes place.

FILMOGRAPHY
2021
The Sadness



        : After Hours

        POSSESSION

        POSSESSION

        23/09/2021, 22:15, AEGLI ZAPPION

        PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND

        PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND

        25/09/2021, 23:00, IDEAL
        28/09/2021, 21:45, TRIANON
        2/10/2021, 22:15, RIVIERA

        CENSOR

        CENSOR

        26/09/2021, 22:15, RIVIERA
        29/09/2021, 22:15, STELLA

        IN THE EARTH

        IN THE EARTH

        27/09/2021, 22:15, DANAOS
        3/10/2021, 22:15, IDEAL

        LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

        LAST NIGHT IN SOHO

        1/10/2021, 22:45, IDEAL