VESTIGIO

VESTIGE — Spain 2024 — Directed by: Esther Ji — 13 min — Spoken language: Chinese (Mandarin) — Subtitles: Spanish, English, Catalan — Producer: Esther Ji

A journey to the origins in Fangshan, Qingtian, China, during the Chinese New Year. Through a visual autoethnography, a young woman from Barcelona portrays her grandparents’ homeland, transformed by migration. The generational void is evident in an empty school, deserted streets, and the family home. An intimate reflection that questions the village’s uncertain future.

During the Chinese New Year, a young woman born and raised in Barcelona embarks on an intimate and revealing journey to Fangshan, her grandparents’ hometown in the Qingtian region of China. Through a visual autoethnography, she portrays a landscape deeply transformed by migration, where the passage of time and the absence of younger generations are evident in every corner: an empty school, silent streets, and a family home that resists oblivion.

Zongguang and Bolan, her grandparents, return to this place after more than two decades living in Barcelona, where they devoted themselves to caring for their children and grandchildren. Despite the years, their bond with their homeland remains intact: they know the history of every place, every neighbor who still remains, and those who have already left. Even so, their presence symbolizes the last resistance of a generation inhabiting an increasingly empty space. Fearing the loss of family memory, Esther documents this visit while reflecting on displacement and the uncertain future of the village.

Festivals 

DocsBarcelona, 2025

Original Title: VESTIGIO. English Title: VESTIGE. Director: Esther Ji. Writer: Esther Ji. Camera: Esther Ji. Editing: Esther Ji. Sound: Esther Ji. Music: No music. Production: Independent (No Company). Producer: Esther Ji.

More about

Curated by

...