Xstream Pictures

Xstream Pictures is a Chinese independent film production and distribution company co-founded in 2003 by acclaimed director Jia Zhangke, cinematographer/producer Yu Lik-wai, and producer Chow Keung, with offices in Beijing and Hong Kong. The company specializes in producing and co-producing arthouse and independent films that explore social and cultural themes in contemporary China, while also acquiring international films for distribution in China. It is best known internationally for producing Jia Zhangke's critically acclaimed features including Still Life (Venice Golden Lion, 2006), A Touch of Sin (Cannes Best Screenplay, 2013), Mountains May Depart (2015), Ash Is Purest White (2018), and the Cannes 2024 competition entry Caught by the Tides. In 2025, founder Jia Zhangke extended the company's reach by co-launching Unknown Pleasures Pictures, a dedicated acquisition and distribution venture focused on bringing international arthouse films to Chinese cinemas.