In this presentation, Professor Mello and Dr. Schultz discuss the cinematic aesthetics of Jia Zhangke’s films. They begin by examining the films’ formal qualities, highlighting Jia’s characteristic use of slow pans and long takes, and theorise as to their potential affective impact on viewers. Additionally, they analyse how the films reference the aesthetics of other media, such as painting, photography, architecture, and music, and the various ways that these films create a relationship with these other art forms.