(Finalist)
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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.