The Gleaners

Story

“My film has no fascinating storyline to offer and is anything but fast-paced,” says Ye Zuyi about The Gleaners. “All it’s about is my everyday life and that of my parents.” They live in a village in the province of Guangdong and can’t understand their son. After graduating, instead of seeking some well-paid job in the city, he returned to his roots to ask their elders about the great famine (1951 to 1961) for a film project. And he’s still not married. In 27 scenes with fixed camera positions, Ye Zuyi restages conversations with his parents about their life and future. Both quiet and loud, at the kitchen table and in the fields. This film is part of the special series “Chinese Independent Cinema”.

Director

Ye Zuyi (*1985) studied administrative sciences until 2008 at the University of South China. The Gleaners is his debut feature and has been shown at several international festivals.