Quitting

In the late 80s, a new film star, Jia Hongsheng, emerged in China. Labeled ‘the thug idol,’ he gained fame playing gangsters and heroes in a series of Chinese B-movies. Jia went on to star in a stage version of “Kiss of the Spider Woman” directed by Zhang Yang and soon became the actor of choice for Chinese sixth generation filmmakers such as Wang Xiaoshuai and Lou Ye. He had his first experience with drugs on the set of “Spider Woman.” Jia’s naturally fragile mental/psychological state coupled with his experimentation with drugs gradually led him into a state of despair. He stopped acting and cut himself off entirely from all his friends and family, locking himself in his apartment. This is the story of Jia’s journey, from the cutting edge of China’s artistic movement in the early 90s, through a period of conflict with himself and his parents, to a mental institution and finally on the quest to rediscover himself and his family. –Inbaseline