The Year of the Ghost

n 2021, the Chinese filmmaker Louis Hothothot, who has lived in the Netherlands since 2012, made his debut with his highly personal documentary Four Journeys, which explores what the Chinese one-child policy meant for the family in which he grew up. In his new film, he once again turns his camera on his family of origin.  In 2022, Louis travels to China to visit his seriously ill father, but due to the 28-day compulsory coronavirus quarantine period, he misses his father’s death and funeral. His mother and sister each cope with his death in their own way. His mother moves to her husband’s home village, believing his spirit lingers there, whilst his sister remains in Beijing, where she works as a matchmaker, helping people find true love. Louis himself feels lost – what is home: China or Europe?

Drawing on his family history, Hothothot explores the changing relationship between men and women and the position of women within Chinese family life. He shows how the past undeniably leaves its mark on the present.