Caught by the Tides is composed of improvisational footage that Jia has been shooting across China with his troupe of longtime collaborators over the last two decades.

The former president’s legal team slapped the movie with cease-and-desist letter shortly after its Cannes premiere but has remained quiet about the film before its U.S. release date, just weeks before the election.

With savvy marketing–and some luck–Stan should earn his first Best Actor Oscar nomination.

“I still have more films to make, and I hope God gives me the strength to make them.”