On the Border

In China, a teenage boy dreams of fulfilling his life in South Korea. The director's depiction of the boy's life and the sleepy border town he lives in gives a beautiful insight into the life and desires of people living a life on hold, hoping for "a better life in a better place."

A Korean teen and his missing father. The boy meets a woman. It's the border between a China town and the Korean. His father leaves the motorcycle store he runs, for unknown reason. Interweaving handycam-like realism and stylish, atmospheric cinematography, the film portraits the a trip of desire and unlikely companion. When you find something lost at a time, there could be a world you never knew you would pursuit otherwise.

WEI Shujun's "Yan Bian Shao Nian (On the Border)" vividly shines with its splendid cinematography and great performances by its actors/actresses, reflecting the tale of a hopeful boy who wishes to leave China to go to Korea in search of his lost father. For him, to seek for a lost father means a lot: feeling a sense of belonging, easing his longing for a real home, and quest for a new life... Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018, International Eskisehir Film Festival is honoured to have the short film "Yan Bian Shao Nian (On the Border)" awarded with "Special Jury Distinction" by Festival de Cannes 2018.

There is a moment in On The Border where the boy and the girl share their desire to go South Korea. His purposes are different for her is only subtle, aesthetic, for him is life. Surprising the delicate care that Wei Shujun manages the story, showing with a laconic look and silently building the routine of this young man who yearns to leave his filthy everyday life and replace it with that world full of neon lights that promises Korea. A dream that determines his life, which conditions his way of relating to others and Shujun manages to convey the weight of this desire.

Very simple story with a very strong and deep concepts. On The Border is really the story of our real life, no exaggeration, no extra dramatic points, no complexity but a simple narration of our real life to stay hopeful despite of troubles and failures. Its simplicity in storytelling never spoils its powerful concept and meaning which is obvious at the final look of the boy on the border line. He has no other choice but to get back to first square and try to cross it later. He wont give up, since he has proven himself as a guy who is strong enough to cross the border when he decided to study in S.Korea instead of China, when he began to resist against his father.