Ex-convict Chen Sheng works as a doctor in a rural community. Chen squabbles with his half-brother Crazy Face about how he neglects his son Weiwei. When Weiwei disappears, Chen believes that Crazy Face may have sold the child into servitude. Chen sets out to Zhenyuan to get Weiwei back. Chen drifts into a mysterious village called Dangmai, in which the past, present, and future mix together.
Production
Most of the cast members are local residents who were nonprofessional actors. Bi incorporated the actors' real lives when developing their characters. The lead character Chen Sheng is portrayed by Bi's uncle Chen Yongzhong, who like the character is a former gangster.[4][5]
Bi primarily filmed Kaili Blues in his hometown of Kaili City. The scenes in Dangmai were shot in the nearby village of Ping Liang. The film's budget was exhausted after completing the 41-minute long take of Dangmai. To finish the film, Bi assembled a small team to shoot the rest of the film using a portable Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera.[5]