Director Liu Siyi’s stunning feature debut is an exquisite homage to the Disney movies and Chinese folklore that her generation grew up on. Meticulously crafted, this modern, live-action spin on the classic fairy tale paradigm boasts the look and feel of an animated fantasy come to flesh-and-blood life. It all starts once upon a time when a boy named Sangui discovers that anyone he kisses goes right to sleep. Ostracized as a freak of nature by his fellow villagers and separated from his childhood sweetheart, he embarks on a phantasmagorical journey to find her and also cure himself of his curse. Taking on grand themes such as social stigma and the power of true love to conquer all, Flaming Cloud also features some dark touches for a surprisingly grown-up morality tale of magic and romance.