Here, There

Here There is a series of three interlinked stories that focus on young Chinese people. There is the reindeer herder in the mountains whose brother is a young chef in the city of Shanghai whose boss has a son studying in Paris where he is taken under the wing of an older Chinese emigre.

Each of the main characters is in some sense making a new start and together their stories offer insights into three different aspects of modern Chinese life.

Life in the city and as an emigrant is portrayed as perhaps the modern choices but they don't seem (at least to me!) to offer anything more than life as a reindeer herder. The herder's son seems to want to hedge his bets, wanting to go to a Sports University become a police officer or a soldier but to remain as a reindeer herder. I must say with the stunning scenery, the simple (though hard) life and the adorable reindeer, I can understand the appeal of the herding life. Certainly when compared to the struggles of life in the city.


The stories are all low key but engaging and the viewer is drawn into the characters lives, particularly as they are so interwoven together. Despite the interconnectedness of all the characters though, there is a constant sense of the distance between them all.

Here There (directed by Lu Sheng) is part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and you can see it at 20:50, 28 June Cineworld 11.

Disclaimer: I have a press pass for the Edinburgh International Film Festival and saw a free press screening of this film.