Drive to Freedom

This documentary emerged from my experiences living next to a busy road, where relentless traffic noise prompted my reflections on driving’s impact on our lives. Eschewing traditional documentary methods like interviews and voice-overs, this film adopts an observational and phenomenological approach to focus on the embodied experiences of those living in this environment. It features long takes of pedestrians caught in traffic, highlighting the stark contrast between the smoothness and effortlessness of driving and the obstacles and dangers of walking. The film seeks to underline the physical incompetence and vulnerability of pedestrians when vehicles dominate the streets.

Directed by Yuqin Wu

Director’s Bio: Coming from Shanghai, Yuqin is currently pursuing dual degrees in Film Studies and Philosophy, with a keen interest in photography. I have developed two photography projects: “The Undeniable Embodiment,” which captures street life in Mexico City, and “Before the Farewell,” a personal exploration focusing on my family. I am currently starting to make short documentaries.

Plays in

On the Road

“…The answer might be that people, many people, have lost all their political bearings. Mapless, they do not know where they are heading. Every day people follow signs pointing to some place which is not their home but a chosen destination. Road signs, airport embarkment signs, terminal signs. Some are making their journeys for pleasure, others on business, many out of loss or despair. On arrival they come to realize they are not in the place indicated by the signs they followed. Where they now find themselves has the correct latitude, longitude, local time, currency, yet it does not have the specific gravity of the destination they chose. They are beside the place they chose to come to…” – John Berger, Ten Dispatches About Place

Award Nominated Shorts