Berlin x Chengdu – Food & Footage Edition
Building bridges between Chengdu and Berlin through cinema and cuisine
15 Sep 2024, 7 pm
ZK/U BerlinSiemensstr. 27, 10551, Berlin, Germany
Berlin x Chengdu is an independent film programme that curates and introduces captivating independent film works made in and/or about Chengdu by filmmakers based in the region, offering the Berlin audience a unique lens into its socio-political and cultural panorama. Moving beyond the silver screen and initiated by CiLENS e.V., the film curation collective weave together music and intercultural dialogues in an annual series, dedicated to strengthening cultural connections between Berlin and Chengdu, and uniting communities through their shared diversity, inclusivity, and vibrancy.
The screening will be hosted for one evening in the ZK/U format Food & Footage. Curators and cooks converge to synthesize the moving image with cuisine thematically aligned to the artistic narratives. The thematic connections between the films and the accompanying culinary selections can range from explicit to nuanced, such as serving a dish that features within the film's plot.
Program
Sarira | 舍利
2021| 28 min | Dir. LI Mingyang
A middle-aged Buddhist monk in a small temple suffers from increasing tooth pain. To complicate matters, he must endure the construction noise of the development that will eventually raze the temple.
Girl of Wind | 吹梦无踪
2023 | 38 min | Dir. YUAN Nanxi
This is a story about Yang Yang, a lonely deaf girl who's finding friends, and about the director, Yuen Nanxi, who meets her by chance. Their lives intertwine with each other, revealing the difficulties the youth face and their longing for the future.
Red Insomnia｜晓得不嘛
2023｜15 min | Dir. ZHANG Fengyi
A story about a waiter in a tea house who wants to get more sleep but cannot. Lao Liu, who lives by doing odd jobs, quit his job as a night security guard at a construction site due to sleep problems and turned to work as a waiter serving tea in a tea house. During the less busy moments in the tea house, Lao Liu tries to get as much rest as possible. However, the noisy environment in the tea house makes this almost impossible. After finishing work and returning home at night, Lao Liu thinks he will finally get a good night's sleep, but in reality, it seems his sleep is no longer under his control.
When a Rocket Sits on the Launch Pad | 火箭发射时
2023 | 20 min | Dir. LIU Bohao
At the basketball camp, 15-year-old Fang talks about her dreams. But life never stops, it moves too fast. Her phone fell into water. There are too many stairs to climb. The adults seem to decide her future. And the rocket keeps being launched every month.
Admission is free, the vegan menu (cold noodle + ciba cake (糍粑) + tea) is 12 €. Please bring cash and a teacup. First come first served!
The event is part of the “2024 Pop-up Teahouse: Creating New Urban Living Rooms across Asian Communities and Beyond” supported by the Sociocultural Fund with funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.
ZK/U is a partner of Berlin Art Week with “Commons Cosmodrome”.