Upon that River
2023, 4K video, Stereo Sound, 28'44
Film Stills, Upon that River (2023)
In the 24th year of the Republic of China, Dino’s great-grandfather traveled by boat with his classmates in Hangzhou, capturing photos that he carefully preserved and annotated in a family album. In 2023, Dino revisited the locations depicted in these photos, journeying along the Fu Chun River to the Qiang Tang River—also known as Zhi Jiang. Drifting on the water, he gazed at the rippling waves as nearly a century of historical change converged into a luminous line.
Upon that River (2023) begins with a conversation between Dino and his family, unfolding as an autobiographical exploration of regional migration following the Chinese Civil War. It evokes a hidden diaspora brought on by social transformations, serving as a cognitive contemplation1 that revives historical events and figures in spectral forms. In examining the archivability of time, the river becomes a metaphor for the boundless memories shared by his family, and a thread that interweaves temporalities where time has been brought to a standstill.2
1 Jameson, Fredric. (1993). Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. London: Verso.
2 Benjamin, Walter. (1940). On The Concept of History. Translated by Dennis Redmond.
Film Festivals & Screenings:
Beijing International Short Film Festival 2023, Beijing (Official Selection)
Shanghai International Short Week 2024, Shanghai (Honorable Mention)
Slow Film Festival 2024, London (Official Selection)
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Poster, Upon that River (2023)