About the Film
The Thessaloniki International Film Festival has asked a bunch of renown directors to make a short film at home as a commentary of these times of confinement. The 4-min film “Visit” is the contribution from Jia Zhang-ke – one of China's greatest filmmakers – to this time capsule project named Space and inspired by the book “Species of Spaces” by the French novelist, filmmaker, and writer Georges Perec.
Synopsis
The film follows Lian Yirui (one of Zhang-ke's real life collaborators) coming for a work-related visit to the filmaker's house. An assistant takes his temperature before allowing him in. Fully masked, the visitor and the director stare at each other in silent, pondering the right etiquette for the situation. Hand sanitiser is offered on a tray, like a welcome drink that cannot be refused. Photos of exteriors from a window are examined on a touch screen tablet, but – ouch – after a couple of screen touches, hands must be washed. The film ends with the two, sitting at proper distance, watching a projection of something that – sadly – belongs to the past.
