Short Film “The River That Holds My Hand” Released as Part of “Going to the Mountains and Seas” Young Directors Creative Support Program
The short film collection of the 2023 “Going to the Mountains and Seas” Young Directors Creative Support Program, sponsored by the Yangcheng Evening News Group, has been successfully completed. The behind-the-scenes footage of one of the short films, titled “The River That Holds My Hand,” has been released.
The film revolves around the nostalgia of an old man as time passes by. A black-and-white family photo captures the longing and separation caused by time and war, as it breaks up a family. The film follows a young man who wants to document everything that hasn’t faded away. While visiting an elderly relative in a village, he discovers the nostalgia the old man feels as time passes, through the same black-and-white family photo. Inspired by a warm touch in his sleep, the old man decides to take the photos and embark on a journey to the other side of the ocean, arriving at the ancient Saigon port in search of his past.
The film takes the audience on a journey to Vietnam and Chaozhou, as the crew searches for the old man’s memories of home. The film explores fiction and reality, memory and existence, focusing on touch as an important bridge to awaken memories and connect emotions.
The director of the film, Chen Jianhang, is a native of Chaozhou, Guangdong, and holds a master’s degree in experimental film from Kingston University in the UK. Chen was selected for the 2021 One-Way Street “Sailor Project” and was a member of Sessions at the 2020 Rotterdam International Film Festival. His work aims to present and recreate the narratives of Chaozhou people on both sides of the ocean, incorporating drama, improvisation, and documentary elements to explore themes such as local ethnography, man, and nature.
“The River That Holds My Hand” is part of the “Going to the Mountains and Seas” Young Directors Creative Support Program, a talent support initiative hosted by the Yangcheng Evening News Group. The program aims to discover, incubate, select, and cultivate outstanding young Chinese directors from around the world. It focuses on different types of short film creations, such as plots, documentaries, and animations, to break through and expand the imagination of the future Chinese video culture.
Scan the QR code provided to learn more about the “Mountain and Sea Project.”
Producer: Du Chuan Guilin Haili
Director System: Sun Aiqun, Sun Xuan, Hu Quan, Lin Rumin
Chief Planning: Sun Chaofang
Brand Operation: Li Yanwen, Zhu Fan, Jiang Zheng, Zheng Huaru, Hou Shuwang
Executive Director: Lu Nanfang
Executive Deputy Director: Guo Wenyu
Text: Su Huilin
Video: Fang Keyin
Poster: Ji Yi
Intern: Wang Yingying
Editor: Guo Wenyu