back

Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest

Panorama Dokumente 2026
© Viv Li, Corso Film
Viv, a Chinese wannabe artist, found herself stuck in Berlin after the pandemic and accidentally ventured into the city’s vibrant alternative culture scene. Drifting between new environments and traditional expectations, Viv is constantly adapting to shifting opinions about herself, the world and, of course, China, only to feel more lost than ever. Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest follows Viv’s eclectic encounters and the nuanced culture clashes that shape them. Told in a deeply personal and humorous voice, the film takes a witty yet sharp look at the quest for a sense of belonging in a globalised world and how different societies define our lives. ' A story of the perpetual search for oneself, identity and acceptance, woven into a spiral of surreal yet tangible moments.

Trailer/Film Excerpt

To view this content, you must enable third-party cookies. >
by Viv Li (Director, Screenplay)
with Viv Li Germany / Netherlands 2026 English, Mandarin, German 85' Colour World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form

With

  • Viv Li

Crew

Director Viv Li
Screenplay Viv Li
Cinematography Viv Li, Janis Mazuch 
Editing Christoph Bargfrede
Sound Design Marcel Walvisch
Producers Daniela Dieterich, Erik Winker, Martin Roelly, Ümit Uludağ
Co-Producers Olivia Sophie Van Leeuwen, Ruby Deelen

Produced by

Corso Films

Köln, Germany

Co-produced by

100% Film

Amsterdam, Netherlands

World Sales

Mediawan Rights

Paris, France

Photos

Viv Li

© Ethan Chang

The Chinese filmmaker and artist was born in Beijing but has spent 15 years travelling across Europe, South America and Southeast Asia, and now lives in Berlin. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Manchester and a master’s from the European DocNomads programme. She is also an alumna of the Sundance Institute and Berlinale Talents. Her short film Across the Waters was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes and won the Lights On Women’s Worth Award. Her work has also competed at the Venice Film Festival and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

Filmography

2020 I Don't Feel at Home Anywhere Anymore; short documentary 2024 Accross the Waters; short film 2025 You Jian Chui Yan (A Soil A Culture A River A People); short film 2026 Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest; documentary, Berlinale 2026

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2026