At the beginning of 2020, the world as we knew it began to change...
The news of a virus outbreak covered every source of media. Ever since the beginning of 2020, China has been a central focus point in the media as the virus spread globally. However, as the virus began to move across the globe, its grip on China began to loosen. Today China has been praised globally for making such an impressive recovery in such a short time. But what was it like living in China during these turn of events? What was it like as an expat who chose to stay, or for local people?
The new feature documentary Maizidian offers a personal and heartfelt insight into the lives of those who endured 2020 in China and are here to share their stories with us. Maizidian was produced by Blue Ocean Network and directed by Helene Zhuge, a pioneer in the Chinese film industry who brought independent TV & documentary productions to China over the past 25 years.
The documentary follows an eccentric and warm Greek photographer George, who has been an expat in China for over 11 years. George introduces us to the lives of nine individuals, who are a mixture of expats and Chinese people that share their experiences during the global pandemic while living in China.
Maizidian highlights the deep connection of human experience, reminding us that although adversity has been a part of 2020, so has strength and resilience.
The documentary is located in the heart of Maizidian, Beijing
As the documentary begins with the title of Autumn, 2020, it quickly introduces the viewer to George, who has photographed China for the past 10 years and has taken photos of over 24 provinces but with a focus on Maizidian.
The documentary's setting is quickly identifiable as China, which is evident in the passing streets the camera pans over, showing colorful and ornate shop fronts covered in Chinese symbols. The rich cultural symbolism that is revealed throughout the documentary allowed me to gain a deeper insight into Chinese culture and identity through the documentary's use of various objects, sounds, movements, and colors. An example of the use of simple, delicate symbolism was when the camera zoomed into the oolong tea being poured into the china flower teacup. The oriental music used in the film was also symbolic of ancient Chinese traditions. Maizidian used cultural symbolism in an authentic manner which connected me to the story and sense of place on a deeper level.
The use of poetic cinematography also resonated throughout the film, making it a highly visceral and emotive watch. One particular shot of the policewoman singing poignantly in the car with the snow falling was incredibly beautiful. Both dancing and music are prevalent poetic motifs used throughout the documentary. There are visually stunning shots shown of the Beijing Opera, with vividly colorful faces painted males and females, moving in striking costumes to the sound of percussion like a heartbeat throughout the scene. Certain shots used throughout the documentary reminded me of Ron Fricke's documentary Samsara, with its refined, stunning visuals of China shown throughout.
The documentary is filmed in a very personal and intimate style. The camera often uses medium close up shots, allowing the viewer to interpret and read George and the people he meets through an up-close and personal perspective. The camera also invites the viewer to meet individuals in their private, intimate spaces such as their homes. The first home we are visited into is Georges, which he shares with his Chinese partner Yixue. By using such intimate and private settings throughout the documentary, the viewer feels like a family friend listening to someone close to them.
The stories behind the photos
Maizidian takes the viewer through the lives of many locals and expats, with George being the facilitator to their stories being shared through his photography. This makes Maizidian a contender for the category of documentary photography, which usually refers to photography used to chronicle events or environments both significant and relevant to history and historical events as well as everyday life in a documentary form.
One of the first characters we meet along the way is the brave and beautiful Li Xueyan, a renowned dancer from Maizidian. Georges' image of Li Xueyan is a shot of her dancing, dressed in colorful and vibrant garments, depicting a woman filled with power and strength. When we meet her years after the photo has been taken, we learn that Li Xueyan has been through intense adversity, yet she sits and shares her story with us from her home, poised and beautiful, articulating herself with strength and positivity.
Like Li Xueyan, each individual we meet George has taken a photo of, using photography as a tool to document each individual we meet through a single shot.
Helping hands, a home away from home, and hope
One of the main themes in the documentary is decision making during the time of the pandemic- particularly for the expat community in China during 2020. George introduces us to an American expat Greg, who works in theatre. George and Greg discuss the division between expats, the ones who left China during the pandemic, and the ones who stayed. They discuss how many expats are currently locked out of China and have been unable to return to their jobs, with Greg stating that two-thirds of the teachers in his school have not been able to re-enter China. As a fellow expat (I am currently based in Vietnam), this theme of decision making during the time of the pandemic resonated with me. I decided to stay in Vietnam instead of returning to Europe. I have met many individuals who left China and are now stuck in limbo, unable to return to their jobs or homes, and are eagerly awaiting to return to their lives in China.
Another area that the documentary goes into great detail about is how China dealt with containing and reducing the spread of the virus. From an outsider's perspective, this was quite eye-opening to gain an understanding as to how China made such a miraculous recovery in such a short space of time. I believe that anyone would benefit from watching the documentary for the sole purpose of learning how communities can come together to defeat adversity. If you enjoy the television series Explained episodes related to the pandemic, then this documentary is for you.
The documentary showed the intense effort and extreme measures that were taken from everyone to come together to protect their communities from the virus and prevent it from growing. This could have been portrayed in a cliche, ‘Disney Like’ manner, but instead was documented by providing the viewer with facts, sharing the in-depth measures and restrictions that were taken, and including testimonies from people who worked in central roles during the time of the outbreak. One of the Chinese gentlemen who had assisted in monitoring his community during the pandemic was interviewed. He spoke of the communal effort it took to overcome the virus during its peak, with volunteers, party members, government officials, and local community members all sacrificing their time working for free overtime to help overcome the virus together.
Although the documentary portrayed an in-depth insight into what life was like during the pandemic in China, it did focus on a very positive outlook. This I understood to be due to the immense gratitude the individuals in the documentary shared about how China overcame the virus and provided them with a safe environment. For example, one expat that was interviewed described his experience in quarantine as one of the most beautiful times in his life. He spoke of the kindness he was shown by the community, with his complex security guard being shown delivering large quantities of food deliveries to him and his partner during their quarantine.
One story that was both balanced and moving was the story of Kamila who was photographed by George when she was at the height of her dancing career. Kamila fell pregnant later on, and her due date was set in March, at the height of the pandemic in China.
Kamila's story was a pivotal point of the documentary, extending the theme of the strength and adversity of women which was also shown through Li Xueyan’s story. As Kamila shared her story of what labor was like in the hospitals during the pandemic, I felt incredibly moved thinking about the women globally experiencing what Kamila had to endure. Thanks to Maizidian, their story of this profound experience has now been documented.
New Horizons
Maizidian is a documentary that holds a place of importance to add to the media that has been released globally about China since the virus outbreak in early 2020. The documentary personalizes the experience of the Chinese communities in 2020, allowing the viewer to connect with the people who have survived and thrived in a year that has been overwhelmingly challenging. It's time to take a moment to respect and listen to the voices who started at the epicenter of it all and have overcome challenges, bringing with them newfound gratitude, resilience, and hope for a brighter and more united future. To get a taste of the documentary, check out the latest trailer for Maizidian here.
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