“Caught by the tides” , interview with director Jia Zhang-Ke

May 21, 2024

Jia Zhang-Ke: “The camera has captured things we thought we’d forgotten, but they are what made us what we are today”

“Caught by the tides” , interview with director Jia Zhang-Ke Chiara Nicoletti

Podcast | Download

After six years from “Ash Is Purest White“, screening in competition at the 71st Cannes Film Festival, Chinese director Jia Zhang-Ke is back competing for the Palme d’Or with “Caught by the tides” at Cannes 77.

The film captures two decades in Chinese city of Datong thanks to some early footage the director shot in 2001, blended with scenes shot in 2023.

“Caught by the tides” tells the story of Qiaoqiao (Zhao Tao), a native of the city of Datong who embarks on a journey across the country only to achieve the final closure with soon to be ex boyfriend, Brother Bin.

To quote Jia Zhang-Ke’s words in his director notes: “I gave the generation shown in the film a name when I chose the Chinese title: the literal meaning of Fengliu Yidai might be “A Drifting Generation”, but the term Fengliu (literally, “Wind and Waves”) has a strong romantic connotation. The camera has captured things we thought we’d forgotten, but they are the things which made us what we are today.”

Plot

Across the first two decades of the 21st century, a Chinese woman lives through turbulent emotional and social changes. On her own for many of those years, she goes through life without speaking. She is Qiaoqiao, a native of the city of Datong in northern China, working mostly as a freelance model. Her boyfriend Brother Bin becomes her manager, but he’s lazy and aimless until he finds himself wanting to swim in a bigger pond than Datong. Their city was built on its coal-mining industry, but its prosperity is fading.
Their relationship started well. Caught up in each other, they enjoyed all that the city had to offer, especially the chances to sing and dance. Their life was like a non- stop rave party which seemed to be coming to a climax. In reality, though, it was already over.
Some time after Brother Bin left Datong, Qiaoqiao went looking for him. Her journey took her a long way across the country. Closing in on her lost lover, she still limits her speech to text messages. Many years later, the tides will carry both of them back to Datong – now a very changed city.

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Guest

Jia Zhang-ke

Film

Caught by the tides

Festival

Cannes Film Festival

Rate it

Channel posts

News

Locarno Film Festival

Locarno Film Festival 2026 awards: You Don’t Belong Here wins the Pardo d’Oro

August 16, 2026

Florin Șerban’s You Don’t Belong Here leads the Locarno Film Festival 2026 palmarès, with major awards also going to Hong Sangsoo, Monica Bellucci, Kim Minhee and Petra Volpe.

Interview

Locarno Film Festival

“Atcha Atcha”, interview with director Mamadou Dia

August 13, 2026

Atcha Atcha highlights the vibrant African dance scene and its fragile cultural roots, showcasing movement, identity, and the power of local expression.