Twenty Years After

A man needs to refit the world he's been kept out for twenty years.

  • Catharine Lin
    Director
  • Catharine Lin
    Writer
  • Catharine Lin
    Producer
  • Zoe Pelloux
    Producer
  • Dhruv Lapsia
    Cinematographer
  • Randall Taylor
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2017
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    Chinese, English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Pembroke Tararelli Arts and Film Festival (NY)
    New York City
    United States
    October 31, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Asian World Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 1, 2017
    Best Short Nominee
  • Pembroke Tararelli Arts and Film Festival (LA)
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 2, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Faludi International Youth Film Festival
    Budapest
    Hungary
    November 18, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Kalpanirjhar International Short Fiction Film Festival
    Kolkata
    India
    December 2, 2017
    Official Selection
  • Universe Multicultural Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    April 6, 2018
    Best Student Film
  • Cannes International Film Festival
    Cannes
    France
    May 15, 2018
    Short Film Corner
  • Love International Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    July 6, 2018
    Best Short Nominee
  • Global Film Festival Awards

    Best Inspirational Short Film
  • Festigious Los Angeles

    Best Short, Best Director, Best Original Story
  • Oniros Film Awards

    Best 1st time Director
  • US Hollywood Int'l Golden Film Award

    Best Short Nominee
Director Biography - Catharine Lin

Catharine Lin is an award winning director currently based in LA. She holds a Masters in Linguistics, and has studied filmmaking at New York Film Academy. Originally from China as a producer, she has already worked on many international projects such as multi-awarded drama series "Empress Ki" with Korean MBC television and opening film of 20th Shanghai International Film Festival “The Chinese Widow” directed by Palme d’Or twice winner Bille August. She has written and directed short films like "Twenty Years After”, "A Midnight Visitor” and “Mr Heart”, and is currently focusing on her feature projects.

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Director Statement

One day on my way to school, there's an old man wandering in front of a fancy office building, his hair is long and white, carrying a small aged luggage, seems hesitant. And for some reason, this image kept well in my mind and it becomes the direct inspiration of this film. Who is he going to visit? And why he looks hesitant?

I believe there will be such moment, you find yourself connected with a total stranger, it's nothing to do with their background or past, yet their sorrow, their happiness, their anxiety or anger can be clearly felt, shared and effected through time and space. It's the inner connection we all share as human beings, it's also the foundation of film magic that we are able to engage to a total fiction as long as it feels real.

So this is the story I made for that old man, after he gets out from prison after twenty years and go visiting his family. It's not just about forgiveness, the ending is actually more related to this magic connection.