Viv Li — Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest

Viv, a Chinese wannabe artist, found herself stuck in Berlin after the pandemic and accidentally ventured into the city’s vibrant alternative culture scene. Drifting between new environments and traditional expectations, Viv is constantly adapting to shifting opinions about herself, the world and, of course, China, only to feel more lost than ever. Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest follows Viv’s eclectic encounters and the nuanced culture clashes that shape them. Told in a deeply personal and humorous voice, the film takes a witty yet sharp look at the quest for a sense of belonging in a globalised world and how different societies define our lives. A story of the perpetual search for oneself, identity and acceptance, woven into a spiral of surreal yet tangible moments.
viv-li.com/The-Two-Mountains

about

"Hello! This is Viv. Thanks for dropping by. Normally I would say, I'm from Beijing, now lives in Berlin. I am a filmmaker, an artist and I am making my first feature, winning xxx awards. But the more I think about it, the more I find it cheesy and dull. Nobody wants to read another person's glory all the time, and that is such a one-sided presentation, just like censorship. So
here I want to tell you the real me, the failure side.

I am terrible at balance so I suck at most sports. Hence I also don't know how to dance. I made 5 short films that went nowhere, and the money I spent on festival submissions, can pay my rent for a year. I have belly fat and two very small side teeth. I spent 2 years wandering around in South America, ending up being robbed 4 times. I started writing 2 books since 2013, and I never finished them. I have literally no savings and there were a handful of times my bank account went down to 1 digit. I cook badly and I have a complicated relationship with eating. I feel insecure about my works all the time, day and night."
instagram.com/li_viv