Eastbank & Westbank

“Eastbank & Westbank” was the result of the 13th Documentary Workshop of the New Asian Filmmakers Collective in Peitian Village (Fujian Province) in 2021. Peitian is an 800-year old ancient village. So is its architecture. The film documented our exploration in the old and new Peitian, the transformation of our understanding, and the changes in our identities and relation with the village throughout the journey. 

The documentary was completed through two trips to Peitian. In the first trip, I began the project alone. To quickly know the village, I decided to give cameras to children and a dog. Meanwhile, I invited a TV director to group up with me for shooting and editing. The first attempt brought us surprises, so we decided to go to Peitian for a second time. We wanted to learn more about the development and history of the village and tried to imagine its future. We interviewed the elderly, women, middle-aged men, and a TikTok-based start-up -- a group of outsiders. Soon, we acquired new understanding of the village, and also discovered villagers’ own action for future development.