The Trip
Depuis l’autre cosmos
The young Rwandan filmmaker set to work in China by carefully feeling his way. He occasionally asked difficult questions that were not easy to answer. For instance, he wondered how the one-child policy and abortion worked. But people were not willing to talk about it.
He wanted to make an experimental essay. Searching for substance, but also for form. The Chinese film students in his team could not always follow his hesitancy. Anyhow, they had to learn the difference between inefficiency and thoughtfulness.
Niyongabo calls the film a meditation. An observation of Chinese culture and society. The gaze of a foreigner, observing from a distance. Since he was based there, he focused on the town of Songzhuang, a village-like part of Beijing where many artists live. He talked to these people, but also to others he happened to meet. He summarises his experiences in two extensive monologues that are recited in elegant Mandarin.
Also in this combined programme
-
Fire Fly
An improvised mini-feature in which both everyday and mythical aspects of China are investigated. With a nice kid playing the lead. -
ZUT
An African joke packaged as a Chinese film. The actors were scouted on the streets and the makers have just graduated. Must have been fun… -
Li Xia’s Salon
There are African women and African women. Mthiyane is an African woman. In China, she went into a hairdresser’s and said: ‘Do something with my… -
Les Boulistes 11
A boss faces the strong spirit of one of his employees whom he harkens night and day. Episode from a series of twelve short African…
Film details
- Countries of production
- China, Rwanda
- Year
- 2011
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2011
- Length
- 45'
- Medium/Format
- Mini DV NTSC
