When the Land Was Silent
当土地沉默时

Documentary / Experimental 
13 mins | 2026 | 16mm to Digital | 5.1 | English Subtitles | DCP



In the darkness, a woman is caught in a cycle of past memories. Trying to reach closer to the meaning of her visions, existence and death are blending into the fossils. Within the stillness of the land, it’s buried archaeological remains, fossils, and coal, questions about the relationship between humans and nature emerge. The 16 mm film images and sound express a tactile sensitivity that blends reality and dreams into one, highlighting the fragility of human existence and perception.


黑暗中,一个女人陷入过往记忆的循环。她试图找寻幻象的意义,却发现存在与死亡已与化石融为一体。沉寂的土地、被掩埋的考古遗迹、化石、煤块,关于人与自然关系的问题也随之显现。16毫米胶片的影像与声音,呈现出一种触觉般的体验,将现实与梦境交织在一起,揭示了人类存在与感知的脆弱性。


Credits
Director, Writer, Editor: Yao Su | Assistant Director: Dai Jixin | Director of Photography: Gu Haichao | Screenplay: Yao Su, Sari King | Cast: Jin Jing, Bai Du | Production Design: Lynn Wang, Yitong Wang | Color Grading: Juliette Ho | Sound Design: Cheng Zitong, Yao Su | Sound Mix: Ralf Schipke | Producers: Wang Yuchen, Yao Su | 16mm Processing & Scan: Haghefilm Digitaal | Production: Yao Su, Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln