Under threats of death from the ruling Japanese army, a WWII Chinese village cares for a wounded Japanese soldier and a Chinese translator-collaborator. Awaiting the promised rescue mission, the villagers are in a quandary, uncertain whether to free or kill their captives. The New Year passes as botched escapes and assassination attempts pile up. A bold plan is finally devised by the foolhardy Ma Dasan (Jiang Wen) to return the men to the Imperial Army in exchange for wheat. Complications mount, varying in significance from the atom bomb to a horny donkey.The notion of honor and heroism, reverential in Eastern interpretations of WWII, are skewered in this chaotic black comedy depicting the insanity of war. Shot in black and white, actor-director Jiang Wen's (the lead in RED SORGHUM) daring film ranges in tone from a grave absurdist farce to a solemn cry for peace. China banned the film and reportedly briefly blacklisted Jiang Wen after the controversial film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.