NEVER RELEASE MY FIST

Wuhan, China, at the end of the 1990s. The music and untimely death of Kurt Cobain has shaped an entire generation of young Chinese punks. In the heart of this industrial city, the group SMZB loudly proclaims itself the beacon for a passionate and revolutionary movement in music. The leader of this young and rebellious hoard is Wu Wei, front man of SMZB and virtual godfather of the punk music community. Punctuating his concerts with political discourse, he quickly becomes a powerful symbol of disobedience. Through a singular focus on his art, the singer and musician not only attracts the wrath of government (his songs are censored) but also faces difficulty navigating personal and professional relationships. The third documentary by Oscar-nominated Shui-Bo Wang, Never Release My Fist offers an admiring portrait of a generation of youth who speak out against a repressive and autocratic socio-political system through music. With the camera exalting them to legendary status, Shui-Bo shows that these young artists possessed by the spirit of punk were claiming not just their rights, but the very freedom of their souls.