A Stroll in the Park

穿過公園就到了

Millennium dawn. State-owned enterprises are undergoing a wave of layoffs amid restructuring. A young boy sees the factory residential area as his boundless playground. On the day before he is to leave, his “paradise” collapses.

Director Statement

I grew up in a residential area affiliated with a state-owned enterprise. In China, a “residential area” is a unique and interesting space. It is typically attached to a state-owned enterprise or institution, equipped with comprehensive urban facilities like parks, hospitals, schools, and playgrounds, almost like a small self-contained town. Yet, it is actually just a part of a larger factory—a component, if you will.

As a child, I always saw the residential area as the largest playground in the world. Living there with my grandfather, I felt like I could do anything. However, as I grew older, I began to realize that it was becoming smaller and smaller—I could even feel its boundaries. This subtle experience is what inspired me to create this short film.

This film is about my memories. Given the personal nature of this creation, I’ve also incorporated a lot of home video footage and documentary elements, hoping to blur the lines between fiction and non-fiction, and sincerely tell a small story that exists in memory. This was very important to me. I do not wish to end my film with a definitive full stop, as memories themselves are inherently vague. As a creator, my tone is more like posing a question, and I hope to explore the answer together with you. Or, perhaps it doesn’t need to be answered at all.