Van Pianist

Directed by Hetong Zhang

In 2020, Wuhan resident Haitao Peng lost his father and newborn son. He took up piano and eventually played in the city's streets, transporting it in his van. Mourning his losses, this private ritual gradually took on deeper meaning during China's nearly three-year pandemic controls, which ended abruptly in late 2022. The film reflects on the rarely discussed closing chapter of China's Zero-COVID policy and the fragile balance between public health and personal freedom.