Bright Side of the Dark

The bright side of the Dark often shines more piercingly than daylight. This film is divided into three chapters, each representing a different social class and a distinct world of life. It adopts a group portrait approach, focusing on the diverse individuals found in upscale neighborhoods, low-end old residential areas, and train stations late at night. They either sing and dance, scavenge for a living, rush about fulfilling delivery orders, or sleep under harsh lights...
The decision to shoot the group portraits as an observational documentary is partly influenced by Jia Zhangke's documentary short film, "In Public" I appreciate this approach that refrains from intervening in the lives of the subjects, capturing them primarily through panoramic and long shots, and from an objective perspective. Jia Zhangke once commented on "In Public," stating, "In a space, you can find something, feel it, and then trust it." During this independent filming, I spent two to three hours in each space, observing the people with my own eyes, their movements and stillness, their changes and constants. I used the camera to capture the most representative scenes.
Furthermore, this film incorporates many experimental elements, such as the transition between black and white and color, aspect ratio changes, exaggerated color usage, and supernatural sound processing. I enjoy processing the raw footage and combining it into a dramatic and "unreal" whole.
In China, no matter whether the night road leads to the warmth of one's home or the noisy corners of a train station, everyone is living and confronting life in their unique ways. As night falls, the city becomes resplendent and colorful—a testament to the struggles and resilience of those who strive to live here.