On the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwest China, the headstrong Lang returns to his hometown after being released from prison. He works for the local authorities, cleaning the city of stray dogs ahead of the upcoming Olympic Games. Of all things, the outsider befriends a dog that is notorious for being rabid.
The Cannes prize-winner stylishly and atmospherically combines a road movie with western motifs to create a panorama of contemporary China beyond the doctrine of progress.