Original Monocurator collage for Spring in a Small Town

Image: Monocurator · source · Original Monocurator artwork

Spring in a Small Town

小城之春

1948 · China · Directed by Fei Mu · 93 min

GentleRomanticBleak Great first watch · Moderate Drama

An old friend’s visit unsettles a marriage already living among the ruins of war.

What to expect

Fei Mu turns a small household into a chamber drama of desire, duty, and exhaustion. Voiceover, measured movement, and damaged architecture keep private emotion connected to a wider post-war condition.

How to ease in

The drama is intentionally restrained. Follow who walks with whom, where each conversation takes place, and how the ruined walls change the feeling of home.

Heads-up

A quick, non-exhaustive note Includes marital unhappiness, illness, emotional infidelity, despair, and suicidal behaviour.
Momo's Note May contain spoilers Who is Momo? →

An old friend’s visit unsettles a marriage already living among the ruins of war.

Everyone leaves their true feelings unsaid, so I found myself holding my breath too. Speak and the household may collapse; remain silent and someone slowly wears away.

Open the note ↓

Everyone leaves their true feelings unsaid, so I found myself holding my breath too. Speak and the household may collapse; remain silent and someone slowly wears away. Looking through the broken walls, I felt that neither choice could return them to where they had been.

— Momo

Momo sharing a personal take on this film

Credits & versions

Credits
Screenplay
Li Tianji
Production
Wenhua Film Company

Version map

BFI 93-minute programme presentation93 min93 minutes is attached only to this named source presentation; no restoration, score, territory, cut, frame rate, or source element is inferred.Runtime reference · Checked 2026-08-16

Where to go next

Want a gentler, shorter, or stranger next film? Ask Momo for something like this →
Momo is on shift. Visit Momo Cinema →

Continue through the catalogue →