Building nostalgia

After two films on Chinese architecture, experimental filmmaker Ju Anqi is now working on a third, Chen Nan reports.

A life can sometimes be defined by random events. For Ju Anqi, a Chinese filmmaker, a chance to visit the Visions du Reel International Film Festival, a leading non-fiction film event in Nyon, Switzerland, in 2009, led to a project that he has been pursuing for the past decade.

That year, Ju's film, Night in China, which showcases a side of the country rarely examined, by capturing people's lives in darkness, from 6 pm to 6 am, won the jury prize at the festival. During the event, Ju watched a documentary on Japanese architecture and its influence on the world, especially on architects from Northern Europe. The documentary intrigued Ju.

"It inspired me to think of Chinese architecture, which has a long history and rich regional diversity. I wanted to make a film about Chinese architecture and the idea kept on growing, though I wasn't quite sure if I could make it," recalls Ju.

Ju then started doing research, talking to Chinese architects and experts, and busying himself with finding financial support. The result of his labor is three films under the theme, "China's architectural heritage": Lou (Building), Chang (Factory) and Xiang (village).