China, Canada / 2025 / experimental, hybrid / 84min / HD&SD / B&W and Colour
In this experimental autobiography, the filmmaker reflects on his own experience and asks: why is the oppressive power wielded by political authorities over ordinary people often mirrored in personal relationships—between parents and children, husband and wife, and beyond? Can love, when entangled with power, lead to violence and erode one’s sense of self?
Eschewing a linear narrative, the film immerses viewers in the protagonist’s consciousness, weaving together fragments of memories, dreams, and imaginings. A childhood amidst the Cultural Revolution resurfaces: a young boy, frightened by his father’s authoritative power, seeks refuge by running away; yet the father—condemned as a “Rightist”— finds no refuge from a greater power. In adulthood, the man seeks protection while feeling terrified by control, his struggle deeply entangling his emotional life. He continues to search for the roots of fear and the courage to confront it. Through a mosaic of enigmatic inner moments, the film examines how political violence seeps into private life, its weight reverberating across generations.
Sha Qing is a Chinese filmmaker who began his film career as a sound recordist and editor, and he started making his own films in 1996. His unique creative style has earned him critical acclaim and many awards. Sha Qing’s work has been celebrated as “the radical exercise of filmmaking and poetry,” which “reaches a deep introspection on the fundamental solitude of humankind.” His earlier films, such as “Wellspring”, have won awards including the Prize for Most Promising Asian Documentarist, the Silver Prize at Visions du Réel, and the Best International Documentary at Hot Docs. His 2016 documentary ‘Lone Existence’ (previously titled ‘Fading Reflections’) received awards at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival and the Taiwan International Documentary Festival, and it was exhibited at Cinéma du Réel and the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, among others. “Hideaway” is Sha Qing’s new feature created over many years of work.
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Intuition leads the way. While people often evaluate works
through rational reasons, for artists, intuition remains an undeniable starting
point. In 2011, reminiscences penned in earlier years suddenly sparked an
impulse, evolving in my mind, in the form of a film. Two years later, after filming
my childhood memory scenes, the project paused for unforeseen reasons.
During the prolonged wait, I scrutinized this work repeatedly, questioning whether
it was limited and biased by personal experiences. It wasn’t until 2019, after
completing all filming, that the true motive behind the creation became clear.
During the years of making the film, I witnessed more and more individuals and
groups being controlled by fear in unequal relationships. They remain silent,
endured, from birth to death. Fear stems not only from the oppression of power
but also from not daring to lose what one already has. And, all this is becoming
increasingly evident today.
Indeed, one grows in the process of creation. It instilled in me a desire to
continuously observe the world, and made me realize that in the maturing art
form of cinema, there are still expressional spaces to explore. When in an equal
and open relationship, the viewers can freely incorporate their own experiences
and emotions, thus achieving a more enriched exchange.
CREDITS:
Concept / Director / Editor:
Sha Qing
Producer:
Cui Yi
Co-producer:
Fan Rong, Ji Dan
Cinematography:
Wang Ting, Cui Yi, Ji Dan, Sha Qing
Location Sound:
Cui Yi, Sha Qing
Sound Mix:
Wang Ge
Poster Design:
Wang Wo