"Upstream," a docufiction film by Xin Liu ⋆ York Centre for Asian Research

Xin Liu received Canada-China Initiatives Fund support in 2020 for his master’s project, ‘Upstream’, a 20-minute docufiction film that explores the identity struggle of Chinese Permanent Residents in Canada and their immutable yearnings to return home.

In summer 2020, he drove to British Columbia to document the schools of salmon that find their way back to the banks of the rivers where they were born so that they can relaunch their life cycles.

“In the end, the salmon that survive mate and then perish. While the end result is a sure death, the salmon are driven by an insurmountable instinct to return home against the strongest of currents,” said Xin, a Film Production student in Cinema and Media Arts, AMPD.

He also holds an MA in Documentary Film Production from l'Université de Poitiers in France. His works include ‘A World Without You’ (2018) and ‘Le Même’ (2014). He is the co-founder and director of Kinophile Film Production.

He shared these photos from his journey with YCAR.