Ting Mei

In a small northern Chinese city in 1997, Judge Tian privately struggles with the loss of his daughter, killed by a stolen car in a hit-and-run accident. On the bench he encounters Qiuwu, a mechanic accused of stealing two cars. Perhaps influenced by his emotional state, the outwardly impassive judge imposes an almost-obsolete criminal law on Qiuwu that sentences him to death for his crime. (Letterboxd)

Set in China's hardscrabble, industrial northeast, it tells the story of a young police officer investigating the murder of a taxi driver, only to find a childhood friend may be involved. To solve the case, he explores layer by layer, revealing a past buried 12 years ago. (imdb)