Drama spanning two decades headlines New Zealand Chinese Film Festival

A film by renowned independent film director Jia Zhangke makes its domestic premiere ahead of its official release in China at the opening of the New Zealand Chinese Film Festival on Sunday.

Caught by the Tides, which captures significant changes in Chinese society in footage shot over more than two decades in a non-linear fashion, was selected for the main competition at this year's Cannes Film Festival.

The Palme d'Or nominee is assembled from 22 years of footage from Jia's previous work. It is scheduled for release in China over a 22-day period on 22 November.

The film follows a working-class woman named Qiao Qiao (played by Zhao Tao) as she travels from a small northeastern Chinese town to find a former manager she was in a relationship with on a personal journey of growth, awakening and transformation.

The 111-minute screening includes popular musical references from the past two decades.

"We're thrilled that Caught by the Tides will be the opening film for the third New Zealand Chinese Film Festival," the organizer said, adding that they hoped the audience would find their own interpretation of it.

A total of seven Chinese-language films will be showcased in cinemas at the festival through 24 November.

All screenings offer Chinese and English subtitles, making them accessible for Mandarin- and English-speaking audiences.

'A glimpse of the heart'

Bo He, founder of the New Zealand Chinese Film Festival, has been promoting Chinese-language films for more than a decade.

He, who is commonly called "Bobo" by those in the Chinese community, has long attempted to foster intercultural dialogue within the country's diverse communities through film.

To this end, the 45-year-old has taken steps to enhance film quality and audience engagement at the festival.

Originally from Sichuan province, the festival founder has been passionate about cinema since childhood.

He says he was inspired by the way Caught by the Tides documents the reforms experienced by a generation of Chinese people over more than two decades.

Throughout this period, the film touches on themes of family, homeland and immigration.

With Zhao not given any spoken lines in the screenplay, the movie engages audiences in a silent dialogue across time and space.

"[It's] a glimpse of the world, a glimpse of the heart and endless reflection," He says.

He says the first three years of the festival have been tough, with many working on a voluntary basis in a collaborative manner.

Tian Gan is proud to oversee the festival's content selection, planning and overall execution.

Assembling titles that focus on certain themes is always a challenge, Gan says, but one she has embraced.

"We hope to bring works to New Zealand that truly reflect the transformation and cultural essence of contemporary China, offering both Eastern and Western audiences a pure cinematic experience that transcends language and race," a blurb on the festival's official website written by Gan says.

"When the ties of our shared human destiny extend, those moments of cultural understanding, fusion and universal love will naturally find each other."

Other films to watch

The titles selected for the festival have all been created from a woman's perspective or by female creators in line with this year's theme - "woman in flow".

The Cord of Life

Qiao Sixue's directorial debut has been produced by acclaimed actress Yao Chen and guided by an experienced cinematographer.

The story centers on a mother with Alzheimer's disease and her son, exploring the profound relationships we have with our parents and our homeland through a deeply spiritual narrative.

The Cord of Life was nominated for Best Asian Future Film at the 2022 Tokyo International Film Festival.

Send Me to the Clouds

Send Me to the Clouds follows Sheng Nan (played by Yao Chen), an independent and ambitious woman searching for true love while facing life's challenges alone. At a life-and-death crossroads, she reconciles with the world in her own way through repeated cycles of hope and despair.

The film is a landmark work in pioneering female-centered Chinese cinema. It won the critics' award for best screenplay at the 2020 Dublin International Film Festival and the annual newcomer award at the 2023 Shanghai Film Critics' Awards.

Acclaimed director Teng Congcong is scheduled to participate in a post-screening Q&A for this film.

Like Winds, Like Weeds

After years of separation, Xiaomei has distanced herself from her past and her hometown of Cangshan, working as a domestic helper in Shanghai while also caring for her mother, who has dementia, and her rebellious teenage son.

Following the many hardships she encounters in a foreign city, she decides to return to her hometown, only to find it has been renamed.

Zhang Fan's Like Winds, Like Weeds is a story of survival - a mother escaping her present, an elder forgetting her past and a child questioning the future.

Enjoy Yourself

Kang Bo's Enjoy Yourself kicks off with a couple - Luo Yu (played by Xiao Yang) and Bai Hui (played by Song Jia) - who are in a cooling-off period before their divorce.

Working in their jobs as a lawyer and a doctor, the pair become entangled in a legal case involving the custody of an embryo. As the end of their cooling-off period draws near, they begin to gain new perspectives on themselves, their marriage and their family.

Sonata of Wave

Ma Xue's Sonata of Wave follows three individuals who cross paths in a quiet seaside town chasing different dreams. The allure of an idyllic surfing lifestyle draws them together, but beneath the surface, a surf shop owner harbors a hidden secret.

Football on the Roof

Fei Yu's Football on the Roof is set in a remote village deep in the mountains of Yunnan. It follows the story of two young sisters on a quest to find their mother and a drunken fruit seller who join forces to form a rooftop soccer team against all odds. Driven by their dreams, they fight to change their destinies and, ultimately, grow stronger through their shared journey.

The New Zealand Chinese Film Festival runs from 17-24 November. For more information, visit the official website.