Synopsis
ALWAYS delves into the lives of children who write poetry in a village in Hunan, China. GONG Youbin, was born into a poor family and has not seen his mom since he was three months old. Youbin begins to reveal his inner thoughts from the moment he learns to express himself through poetry. Observing his upbringing in the countryside with a lack of resources, the film serves as an allegory for the loss of innocence, when the society of children must inevitably face reality.
CHEN Deming
CHEN Deming is an independent filmmaker. His first narrative short film, NIGHT WALK, was selected for the 13th FIRST International Film Festival. His debut feature-length documentary, SONG OF SHIRATORI, received a nomination for the Best Newcomer Award at the 13th China Documentary Academy Awards, won the Silver Award at the 4th Chinese Ethnographic Documentary Academic Biennale, and earned the Best Director Award at the Guangzhou Nothing International Youth Video Week.
Director's statement
Poetry serves as an entryway into the details of life and the laws of nature. For these children, poetry is a testament to their childhood and a way to express themselves—even if they stop writing poems when they grow up. As an observer, I merely document everything while this land keeps changing. Through their eyes, I try to reshape my perception of a blurred past, creating an imagined reality. Is this a dream? The old houses, roads, swirling dust, villagers, livestock, and the blowing wind. How is the existence of my inner self to be witnessed? Perhaps this film is a letter to the children for their future. As time migrates through the years, crossing mountains and valleys, one day, when they face the complexities of life, they may recall the verses of their childhood, and this film will have completed a dialogue across time and space.
