Town Nexus – dir. Vera Jingyi Xia, Pei Zhang

(Finalist)

Original Film Title: Town Nexus

Director’s Name: Vera Jingyi Xia, Pei Zhang

Writer’s Name:

Producer: Vera Jingyi Xia, Pei Zhang

Country of Origin: China

Country of Filming : China

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Runtime: 47 minutes 54 seconds

Film Description:

“Town Nexus” is a graduate project by Yang Yajing, a social design student from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, based in her hometown—Fusheng Village, Jinggang Town, Changsha, Hunan. The name “Town Nexus” echoes the Chinese phrase for “supporting a performance,” while “Nexus” implies a new bond between rural communities and the younger generation of migrant talents.

Having lived away from her village for 11 years, Yajing initiated a community event during the Lunar New Year—a time when many return home—by organizing a “village gala” inside an abandoned greenhouse. With the help of villagers, friends, and fellow students, she created a space for reconnection, reflecting on rural identity, land usage, and the emotional gap between those who leave and those who stay.

Rather than measuring success in binary terms, she sees the project as a process of rebuilding ties—with her family, her village, and herself. “Town Nexus” is not just a performance—it’s a social intervention, a personal journey, and a collective act of return.