Republic

Forum 2024

From the street, Li Eryang’s “Republic” is barely visible, a little room that appears to have been left as a tiny cavity between the surrounding houses. Despite its inconspicuous appearance from the outside, on the inside it’s huge. A hiding place, a home base and an experiment all rolled into one. With lots of time and passion, scarves and coloured light, Eryang has created a free space for himself and his “Cosmic Bros”. Anyone who comes by, comes by and becomes a citizen of a society with humanistic laws. The repressive social credit system of the People’s Republic is left at the door. With psychedelic music and a few mind-expanding drugs, hippiedom, capitalism and Xi Jinping can all be harmonised on a sofa and mattress. The money you need to live is under a little pyramid on the shelf. An economic miracle. But as it turns out, even here there’s no short cut, either to the idyll or to a just society. The experiment needs reworking. Jin Jiang’s documentary film shows the radical exit attempt of young adults as a tableau vivant: in the heart of Beijing, Chinese youngsters lounge and cuddle for their freedom.

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by Jin Jiang
with Li Eryang, Li, Bai, Jiaojiao, VT, Lily, Xiao Yu, Qu Yizhen Singapore / People’s Republic of China 2023 Mandarin, English 107’ Colour European premiere | Documentary form

With

Li Eryang
Li
Bai
Jiaojiao
VT
Lily
Xiao Yu
Qu Yizhen

Crew

Director	Jin Jiang
Cinematography	Jin Jiang
Editing	Jin Jiang
Sound Design	Jin Jiang
Sound	Jin Jiang
Producer	Guo Xiao-Dong

World sales

New Asian Filmmakers Collective

Produced by

Levo Films

Photos

Jin Jiang

Jin Jiang was born in Luoyang, Henan Province in 1989. In 2010, he was introduced to contemporary arts, and in 2013, his first solo exhibition “In the Field of Hope” was held. In 2015, he was hired to participate in the shooting and editing of a film, and in 2016, he began to make a film on his own. His film Shang’ajia earned the Grand Jury Prize at the 14th Beijing Independent Film Festival.

Filmography

2017 Shang’ajia 2020 One Day; short documentary · The Broken Ridge 2023 Republic; documentary

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2024