Martial arts champion Osvald (Repšys) accidentally injures a girl on the street and is expelled from the sports federation. Unable to travel and participate in tournaments in Asia, where he is famous, Osvald is forced to stay in his desolate hometown in East Europe, tormented by guilt. He spends his days in a cheap Asian restaurant “China Sea”owned by his only remaining friend, a Taiwanese immigrant Ju-Long (Huang). Attending group psychotherapy sessions prescribed by court, Osvald meets a mysterious woman Skaiste (Janušaauskaité) and feels intensely drawn to her. Searching for redemption and desperate for love, he begins to lose touch with reality. Clinging to what he has at all costs, Osvald resorts to violence again, this time, not by an accident.

China Sea is the first-ever co-production between Lithuania and Taiwan, featuring a unique cast ensemble of well-known actors from both countries, who perform in a hybrid dialect that blends Mandarin and Lithuanian.

Written by Saulė Bliuvaitė, who's debut feature Toxic won Best Film and Best Debut at Locarno 2024, China Sea was developed as part of ScripTeast. Inspired by real events, the film offers a powerful commentary on toxic masculinity.

Directed by

Jurgis Matulevičius (Isaac)

Written by

Saulė Bliuvaitė (Toxic)

Cast

Marius Repšys (The Saint)

Severija Janušaauskaité (Isaac, Lotus, Babylon Berlin)

Jian Huang / ⿈健瑋 (Life of Pi, Wave Makers)

Vaidotas Martinaitis (Stranger Things)

Sonia Yuan / 袁⼦芸 (Drive My Car, Wave Makers)

and Yi-ching Lu / 陸弈靜 (To the Sea, What Time Is It There?)

Produced by

Ieva Cern

Stasys Baltakis

Co-producers

Amy Ma, Marta Gmosinska, Mariusz Włodarski, Jakub Košťál, Vratislav Šlajer

Cinematography by

Bartosz Świniarski

Editing by

Igne Narbutaite

Music by

Agne Matuleviciute

Production Companies

Film Jam, Con Artist, Ma Studios, Lava Films Sp. z o.o., and Bionaut