Private Project

The Fading Sound of Waves

A beluga whale once appeared on the banks of the Rhine and eventually disappeared in the frenzy of the people. When I was looking for traces of this story with my camera, I came to the Duisburg Zoo. Here, I had to rethink this place, all those traces of the past faded away like the sound of the waves.

  • Yao Su
    Director
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 20, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Germany
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    16MM Film
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM)
  • Internationale Kurzfilmwoche Regensburg
    Regensburg
    Germany
    March 21, 2025
    Gemany Premiere
Director Biography - Yao Su

Yao Su (b. 1997, China) is a filmmaker and artist based in Germany. He graduated from the Directing Department of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and is currently studying at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne (KHM). His works include narrative films, experimental documentaries, and photography. In addition, he also serves as a curator for the Hamburg Chinese Film Festival.

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Director Statement

I once lived by the Rhine. One day, I came across an old news story: a whale (Moby Dick) had once strayed into the river, like a phantom drifting into the human world. Following the traces of this story, I arrived at the Duisburg Zoo. There, I began to reexamine the forgotten fragments—the aquarium, the former director Wolfgang Gewalt, and the dolphins he left behind. With a 16mm camera, I documented everything I saw, attempting to capture this forgotten space through image and sound, and to reflect on the relationship between humans and animals, as well as the complex connection between the present and the past.