Two Mountains Weighing Down my Chest 

Viv Li

Two Mountains Weighing Down my Chest 

de Viv Li

Synopsis

Élevée comme un garçon manqué dans les années 1990 en Chine, Viv Li, 31 ans, vit aujourd’hui à Berlin. Le contraste entre cette ville progressiste et son éducation conservatrice l’incite à explorer la sexualité et le genre. En suivant ses rencontres à Berlin et son voyage de retour à Pékin, le film jette un regard à la fois spirituel et acéré sur la manière dont ces deux cultures polarisées affectent notre mode de vie, tout en proposant un dialogue humoristique entre les deux sociétés et Viv elle-même (jusqu’à ce qu’elle change de pronom, bien sûr).

Crédits

Réalisatrice : Viv Li
Productrice : Daniela Dieterich
Directeur de la photographie : Janis Mazuch

Sélections

Sundance Documentary Fund, 2022
The Whickers Awards, 2022
Logan Nonfiction Fellowship, 2022
IDFA Forum, 2021
Nipkow Program, 2021
Berlinale Talents Doc Station, 2021
IDFA Project Space, 2021
IDFAcademy, 2021
FIPADOC, 2021
Kickstarter, 2021
DOKLeipzig, 2020

Un film développé dans le cadre de SIC, 2020

Two Mountains Weighing Down my Chest 

Viv Li

Two Mountains Weighing Down my Chest 

by Viv Li

Synopsis

Viv, a Chinese wannabe artist, found herself stuck in Berlin after the pandemic and accidentally ventured into the city’s vibrant alternative culture scene. Drifting between new environments and traditional expectations, Viv is constantly adapting to shifting opinions about herself, the world and, of course, China, only to feel more lost than ever. Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest follows Viv’s eclectic encounters and the nuanced culture clashes that shape them. Told in a deeply personal and humorous voice, the film takes a witty yet sharp look at the quest for a sense of belonging in a globalised world and how different societies define our lives. ‘ A story of the perpetual search for oneself, identity and acceptance, woven into a spiral of surreal yet tangible moments.

Credits

Director, Screenplay: Viv Li
Cinematography: Viv Li, Janis Mazuch
Editing: Christoph Bargfrede
Sound Design: Marcel Walvisch
Producers: Daniela Dieterich, Erik Winker, Martin Roelly, Ümit Uludağ
Co-Producers: Olivia Sophie Van Leeuwen, Ruby Deelen
Produced by Corso Film (DE), in co-production with 100% Film (NL) and ZDF – Das Kleine Fernsehspiel
World sales : Mediawan Rights

A film developed in the framework of SIC – SoundImageCulture

With the support of Sundance Documentary Fund, 2022, The Whickers Awards, 2022, Logan Nonfiction Fellowship, 2022, IDFA Forum, 2021, Nipkow Program, 2021, Berlinale Talents Doc Station, 2021, IDFA Project Space, 2021, IDFAcademy, 2021, FIPADOC, 2021, DOKLeipzig, 2020

Screenings

Berlinale 2026 – World Premiere, Berlin, DE, 02/2026

more information

Year: 2026
Duration: 85′
Language: English, Mandarin, German
Subtitles: English

website : https://viv-li.com/The-Two-Mountains

Teddy Award interview at Berlinale, 2026 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j17rOSXKS8M

 

Projections – screenings

World premiere at Berlinale, Berlin, DE, 2026