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Crossings in the Real: Ethnographic and Documentary Voices in Sinophone Cinema (Session 1: Covid-19)
This screening programme explores a collection of Sinophone films whose genres sit in between an ethnographic film, documentary, essay film, and fiction. Through this screening journey, we will engage with various languages, narratives, perspectives, styles and textures of films that come across and reflect on the ever-changing realities of contemporary Chinese society – rich with nuances, obscurities, complexities, and uncertainties. The series will cover four themes, including COVID-19, Gender, Art and Society, and Rural-Urban, and will run from Feb to May 2026.
The first session features Covid-19 and includes two films,
The Memo 备忘录
Director: Badlands Film Group
Release year: 2023
Run time: 30 mins
Region: Mainland China
Screening Talk by Badlands Film Group (online)
Synopsis: This is a video diary of the surreal lockdown made by the filmmaker couple who were trapped in a small, rented apartment in Shanghai. In the face of endless madness, the camera gradually breaks free from the window and observes a vast social isolation unprecedented in the country’s history. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TwB49yNgrE
Bye Bye Barrier! 水马再见
Director: WAN Qing, ZHANG Hanlu
Release year: 2022
Run time: 14 min
Region: Mainland China
Synopsis:
One early morning in November 2022, Guangzhou announced the unblocking of the East and west corners of Haizhu District, and the middle blocked area was surrounded by water-filled barriers and tin walls overnight- which was called ‘One district, two Regulations’ by citizens. Hanlu, who lived in west Haizhu, asked her friends if they needed her supplies before she leaving Guangzhou, and Wan Qing, who lived in middle Haizhu, claimed some of the ingredients. The two made an appointment to meet at the water-filled barriers at the blocked border and filmedalong the way. After the editing of their own perspectives, they combined them to form this two-screen video.
Date:
4 February 2026, 17:00
Venue:
Pembroke College, St Aldates OX1 1DW
Venue Details:
Pichette Auditorium
Speakers:
Speaker to be announced
Organiser contact email address:
information@chinese.ox.ac.uk
Booking required?:
Not required
Cost:
Free
Audience:
Public
Editor:
Clare Orchard
