Program sees young directors tell China's story

Joseph Dwyer, an American director, has joined the program twice to record the development of transportation in China.

Six years ago, curious about how people moved around in populous cities, Dwyer visited North China and made a documentary called Through Tianjin.

Last year, he was invited to China again and made a short video on Jingzhang Railway that links the cities of Beijing and Zhangjiakou. Completed in 1909, it is known as China's first independently built railway.

"There is a relentless pace of construction in China to connect the country together with modern transportation and high-speed rail," says Dwyer.

"Right now the world is very tense, and relationships between countries are not at their best, but I think through the continued free exchange of ideas and culture through programs like Looking China, we can work together to promote a better shared understanding between cultures and create a more positive world," says Dwyer.

Adria Guxens Chaparro, a 28-year-old Spanish director with an interest in Chinese culture, was invited to China last year and presented 10-minute documentary I Don't Think it is Going to Rain at the Malaga film festival in Spain.

His video records the daily life of an elderly man and his grandson in Shanghai and reflects on the intergenerational relationship specific to China. "These unique emotional bonds between generations make China great," he says.

Chaparro says this program helped him discover new experiences, and broadened his artistic horizon.

He says because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he cannot visit this year, but he plans to join the program again to go deeper into rural areas and find out more about that part of the country.