The film was warmly reviewed by Pauline Kael in '' The New Yorker '' on its release : " '' China Is Near '' has the boudoir complications of a classic comic opera ... Bellochio uses the underside of family life for borderline horror and humor . His people are so awful they 're funny ... Bellochio . . only twenty-eight - perhaps only a very young director can focus on such graceless , mean-spirited people with so much enjoyment . . he probably exhibits the most fluid directorial technique since Max Ophuls . . " The film was selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 40th Academy Awards , but was not accepted as a nominee
40th Academy Awards
40th Academy Awards
China Is Near