Shun Li works in a textile factory near Rome, saving money so she can bring her young son to join her. Suddenly transferred to work in a small town along the Venetian Lagoon, she meets a local fisherman, a handsome old Slav immigrant nicknamed “The Poet.”

Cultures connect! Zhao Tao, the star and muse for the Chinese master Jia Zhangke (from Platform to A Touch of Sin) crossed into European arthouses with this cozy, understated Italian drama, which scooped up awards and acclaim around Europe, including at the Venice Film Festival.