
Documentary filmmaking, by its very nature, can pose an impossible challenge at times. Similar to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, the act of filming a subject inherently alters their essence – people become aware of the camera, and editorial choices reveal subjectivity. This topic has been extensively discussed, and filmmakers have explored various methods to circumvent or accept this paradox. Chinese director Wang Bing employs an innovative strategy that transforms his documentary style: he adopts a unique perspective on time, enabling viewers to fully immerse in the worlds he captures. For instance, his cinematic masterpiece, “Youth,” a trilogy focusing on textile workers, required five years of filming and four years of editing spread over those years.