Wuhan Narrative Shorts

Wuhan, a city defined by its two rivers, three towns, and four banks, is a complex tapestry woven from individuals and groups, subjectivity and objectivity, reality and dreams, space and time, reality and fiction, blockage and release, clenching and opening. This collection of short films presents a Wuhan that is different from conventional documentary films. These filmmakers employ various visual techniques such as live-action filming, printmaking, animation, and compilation to explore and capture the attachment and symptoms of Wuhan's existence. Co-presented by Wuhan Bailin Film Festival.

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Spring Starts Today (2022)
Dir. Siyuan Liu
35min, DCP
In Mandarin with English subtitles

During post-pandemic in Wuhan, a young woman, Y, who is isolated in this new city, tries to make connections with different people and objects to fill the void of her heart.

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At the Lake by Blue (2022)
Dir. Chang Lilei
40min, DCP
In Mandarin and Wuhan dialect with English subtitles

Jeweler Xiong Yukun lives with his daughter after a divorce. His long-time partner, Chao Yu, who has been living in Paris for years, returns to Wuhan upon the death of his mother. Both men are deeply entrenched in their own lives when the appearance of a mysterious client, Wu Ge, disrupts the unspoken understanding between them.

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A Year Apart (2023)
Dir. Ocean Chin
17min, DCP
In Wuhan dialect with English subtitles

Wang Huilin is accustomed to talking to a statue of the God of Guan about her daily life, but the grape vines she has cultivated for a long time are wilting due to excessive fertilization. As the first birthday after her husband's death approaches, life is quietly changing.