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The Sadness (Chinese: 哭悲; pinyin: Kū Bēi) is a 2021 Taiwanese body horror film written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Rob Jabbaz in his feature film directorial debut. It stars Berant Zhu and Regina as a Taiwanese couple who attempt to reunite amidst a viral pandemic that turns people into homicidal maniacs.
Produced by Machi Xcelsior Studios and producer David Barker, The Sadness received a theatrical release in Taiwan on 22 January 2021. The film premiered internationally at the 74th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland on 12 August 2021.
The Sadness was released in theatres in Taiwan on 22 January 2021. It had its international premiere at the 74th Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland on 12 August 2021. It was screened at the 25th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, in August 2021, as well as at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in September 2021.
Raven Banner Entertainment acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the film.
In April 2022, it was confirmed that the film would begin streaming on Shudder on May 12, 2022.
The Sadness received an overwhelmingly positive reception from critics upon release. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 89%% of 45 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.0/10. The website's consensus reads, "The Sadness lives up to its title with an unstintingly grim -- and overall effective -- slice of dystopian horror."
Film Threat's Alex Saveliev awarded The Sadness a score of 10 out of 10, calling it, "Some kind of genius, propelling ahead with a vicious force, full throttle, both embracing and disregarding convention." Saveliev praised the style of the film, observing that "it's made with filmmaking finesse, elegantly structured, with a gorgeous electronic score helping to drive the narrative. Obvious allusions to the current pandemic resonate, skillfully avoiding the 'overwrought' trap." Han Cheung of the Taipei Times called the film a "slickly-produced gorefest", noting the "fast-paced action and not-so-subtle digs at the government and humanity" but lamenting "the oversimplified plot and lack of attention to storytelling nuances and details".
Phuong Le of The Guardian gave the film 3/5 stars, writing: "Unencumbered by a need to explicitly spell out any overarching message... The Sadness accentuates gore’s tactile yuckiness, utilising practical effects in a fashion that recalls retro exploitation flicks." She criticized the film's use of sexual violence as "a desensitising misstep", and added: "Nevertheless the assured command of style situates Jabbaz as an impressive new voice in horror cinema."
At the 2021 Fantasia International Film Festival, The Sadness won the award for Best Film in the New Flesh competition for first features.
Fantastic Fest awarded The Sadness Best Picture and Best Director in its 2021 horror competition.
S : Width 45-47cm x Length 68-69cm
M : Width 51-53cm x Length 73-75cm
L : Width 54-57cm x Length 76-78cm
XL : Width 58-61cm x Length 78-81cm
XXL : Width 62-64cm x Length 81-83cm
XXXL : Width 68-70cm x Length 82-84cm