Longing for the Rain (2013 Film)

Longing for the Rain (Chinese: 春梦; pinyin: Chūnmèng) is a 2013 Chinese drama film written and directed by Yang Lina. The film marks the feature-length narrative debut for Yang, who previously worked as a documentary filmmaker.

Plot

The story centers on Fang Lei, a woman living in a stable but emotionally distant marriage. While her daily life is characterized by routine and social outings with friends, she experiences profound anxieties regarding her mortality and her husband's potential infidelity. These fears manifest primarily within her dreams. Her psychological state shifts when a mysterious lover begins appearing in her dreams, providing the intimacy and pleasure missing from her waking life. As the boundary between her subconscious desires and reality dissolves, Fang Lei struggles to distinguish the dream figure from her actual husband, leading to complications when a rival appears in her dreamscape.

Production and Release

The film was produced by Vivian Qu and Yang Lina, with cinematography by Min Wang. It had its world premiere on January 25, 2013, at the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam, where it competed in the Tiger Awards Competition. The film subsequently screened at several international events, including the 37th Hong Kong International Film Festival and the 32nd Vancouver International Film Festival, where it held its North American premiere.

Cast

• Siyuan Zhao as Fang Lei
• Jia Fu
• Pongpazroj Dej as Man in the Dreams
• Hong Xue as Fang Lei's Friend