Caught by the Tides: JIA Zhang-ke’s long gestating project was shot over 3 different decades. As such, it almost doubles as a portrayal of a romantic relationship over the decades and a documentary on how China changed over the years. The plot, slight as it is, shows the tumultuous relationship between a singer and a small-time dancer. ZHAO Tao, the director’s muse, plays the singer in an essentially dialogueless performance, but she is always magnetic to watch. LI Zhubin plays her partner in a serviceable performance. The film, being shot over such a long period, sports many different stocks and aspect ratios, which can get disconcerting early on. Editors LIN Xudong, YANG Chao, and Matthieu Laclau mix and match that footage; the film is slow-going early on, but ultimately picks up the pace and becomes very entrancing. Composer LIM Giong’s musical score contributes to achieve that.