The documentary "Habitat" tells the story of two old people living alone in Shanghai. The theme of the empty-nest old people often falls into sadness, but "Habitat" is unexpectedly warm and touching. The camera follows naturally and lightly, and sees the old people who are still alive despite their dying years, allowing viewers to glimpse old age from another angle. people's real inner world.

"Habitat" stills

The two protagonists in the film, Mr. Sheng and Mr. Wang, met at the University for the Elderly. Because they share similar interests, they also have a common goal. When they are still healthy, they go together to find a suitable nursing home. Both of them wanted to go abroad, and each went to fulfill an unfulfilled wish. They refused visas again and again, and piles of cumbersome documents did not stop their steps...

During this year's Shanghai International Film Festival, tickets for this Shanghai-language documentary were hard to come by. When The Paper interviewed Ye Sisi, the director of the film, she said that she did not expect "Habitat" to become a popular film. She thought it might be Familiar with the characters and the luck of the novice, the film has what it is today.

"Habitat" is scheduled for 5 screenings during the Shanghai International Film Festival

Before going to the School of Creative Media of City University of Hong Kong for her undergraduate studies, Ye Sisi preferred to study social work, "she is more interested in people and can do things that are helpful and meaningful to society and people."

There are many courses in the university, but she likes film courses the most. She likes the genre of "Manchester by the Sea", which is full of metaphors and restrained shots. I watched many different types of documentaries in the documentary class, and gradually fell in love with documentaries.

"Habitat" originated from the director's graduation work when she was an undergraduate. After graduation, she used the short film "Habitat" to participate in the CNEX 10th "Promise and Commitment: Theme Solicitation" project and was selected until the film was completed 8 years later.

Ye Sisi, director of Habitat

One of the protagonists in the film is director Ye Sisi's uncle Sheng Zhengming. His father used to be a Japanese translator, so he has been influenced by his ears since he was a child. Sheng Zhengming has a deep impression of Japanese culture. When the wave of educated youths went to the countryside to join the queue and settle down, the four children of the Sheng family, two girls stayed in Shanghai, and the two brothers voluntarily went out. As the elder brother, Sheng Zhengming was obliged to go to the farthest place from Shanghai—Kunming, Yunnan. . During those difficult days, he did not give up studying Japanese, and became a Japanese teacher after returning to Shanghai.

In the film, recalling that on the train to Yunnan, my uncle said that he sat on the train for three days and three nights, waking up when he was sleepy and swaying. For the young Ye Sisi, she only saw the cute side of her uncle in her words, but she didn't realize what those hard days left in her uncle's heart. Uncle was never married and had no children. He took care of Gaoshou's mother until her death.

The story begins here.

“It's all about the old and the young”

Ye Sisi was born and raised in Shanghai, her parents work in Hong Kong, and she was brought up by her grandparents since childhood. In her own words, she grew up in the life of the elderly since she was a child. At first she just wanted to make a documentary about the architectural changes of the old alleys, so her uncle took her to Teacher Wang's house.

Teacher Wang and Teacher Sheng met at the University for the Elderly in Jing'an District, where the elderly can not only attend lectures, socialize, but also teach. After Mr. Sheng retired early, he taught Japanese at a university for the elderly and received a small amount of remuneration. In the Japanese corner in the park, Mr. Sheng can also be regarded as a "man of the hour". Teacher Wang was a kindergarten music teacher before retiring. After retiring, she worked as a piano accompanist in a university for the elderly. Their old age is still full of fun.

Teacher Wang is warm and cheerful, and likes to watch "Chao Tong Tian Xia". She has only one son, and her son's family went to Canada very early. She was applying for a visa to visit relatives in Canada, but the visa has been refused.

When I first met Teacher Wang, she was wearing a bright red polar fleece dress. Ye Sisi wrote in the director's notes:

"In the evening, the setting sun slanted down from the wooden window frame, and the thick piano scores by the window formed small particles, forming a cloud, a thin but powerful figure. Facing an old piano, foreign folk songs Flowing slowly."

Ye Sisi raised the camera unconsciously, when the phone rang, and Teacher Wang's friend told her that this time she was rejected again. Ye Sisi suddenly realized that this must be a particularly good story, and she decided to continue filming.

"Habitat" stills

"Ms. Wang was born and raised in the alley. Her mother and grandmother both lived in this alley. She has a deep affection for the alley. Her mother is very similar to an old uncle. Many disputes in the neighborhood are caused by her. My mother came forward to solve it, and I think it made her a strong character. She once showed me some photos from the period of the Republic of China, and her grandmother’s funeral was held in the alley.” Ye Sisi said.

Finally, Mr. Wang, who is so stubborn and unyielding, waited until this day to go to Canada to see his son.

Teacher Wang in Canada tried hard to adapt to the new environment, but she was not familiar with the language. The piano was replaced by an electronic organ, and she didn’t even know the switch of the gas stove in the room. She missed the days in Shanghai University for the Elderly. Lonely, she often goes to the river to feed wild ducks.

Ye Sisi said with emotion: "In Teacher Wang, I still see her compromising side to life. After all, she only has one son, and she exhausted all her last strength for the sake of the child. The son really wants to support her, but My son also has his own demands, and I still hope that Teacher Wang can help him, so Teacher Wang finally sold the house in Shanghai, helped his son buy a house in Canada, and finally stayed in Canada.”

In the film, Mr. Wang is making his own dinner in an old dilapidated house in Shanghai. The rice is steamed in the rice cooker with two eggs on it.

"The old ones miss the young ones, and the young ones miss the old ones." The occasional mumbling is all about the son's family.

"As she said herself, the old man is trying to burn all his last strength to the young one, and it is still for this child. She just goes out to see how the child is doing, not to want the child to take care of her .” Ye Sisi told reporters.

In Canada, because it was a rented house, Teacher Wang’s son borrowed an electronic piano for his mother and friends, but there was no music stand, so Teacher Wang hung a rope above the electronic piano and hung the music score on the wall.

After all, the electronic organ is still different from the piano. Before leaving, Ye Sisi wanted to give Teacher Wang a music stand, so she took Teacher Wang around the city. In a piano sales center, Teacher Wang thought of her Piano, "I gave my piano to the Sichuan Road Nursing Home." Teacher Wang was very happy when he came out after playing the piano, and said to Ye Sisi, "I'm done watching and admiring, thank you, Sisi."

Teacher Wang wrote "big" and "small" on the stickers and pasted them next to the knob switch of the gas stove.

During the overseas phone call with a friend from the elderly university, she smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm not familiar with it, and I'm still learning slowly."

Although the long-term separation has led to differences in living habits with his son, the company of his family still made Teacher Wang feel at ease.

"Habitat" stills

"This may be the last time we meet, you have to work hard!"

After staying at her uncle's house for three days, Ye Sisi discovered her uncle's past and his long-buried wish: now that he has nothing to worry about, he wants to go to Japan to meet his friends who have been in Shanghai for many years Mr. Konno, Mr. Konno's health is not as good as before, and he hopes to go to Japan to take care of him.

One year, when Ye Sisi was planning to travel to Japan, she asked casually if she would like to visit Mr. Konno on behalf of her uncle, who was as happy as a child. He rushed to the supermarket, took a box of preserved eggs, and muttered, "You must bring preserved eggs... and two bottles of good rice wine!" After buying rice wine and preserved eggs, he returned home with a smile on his face. , Peel the preserved eggs upside down and carefully.

Ye Sisi's visit brought back the news that Mr. Konno was in good health, which further strengthened his uncle's wish to go to Japan to see him. Finally, with the help of the street neighborhood committee, his uncle went to Japan as he wished, although only for a short period of time. The short 30 days was enough to make the old man smile and extremely excited, but when he arrived at Kono's house, he found that the building was empty.

Things that made young people feel at a loss did not bother my uncle. After several days of unremitting efforts to search, my uncle finally found Mr. Konno who was sent to a nursing home.

Before parting, the uncle held Mr. Konno's hand tightly and said, "This may be the last time we meet. You have to work hard! Everyone has to work hard!"

The uncle who got in the car didn't look back. He fulfilled his wish for many years and tried his best to restrain his emotions.

"Habitat" stills

The young Ye Sisi couldn't empathize with the deep feelings between her uncle and Mr. Konno, but she felt that she was lucky to be able to film the whole search process. For her uncle, Ye Sisi used "hot blood" and "Chinese To describe it in two words, she feels that the reason why my uncle has such a personality is that he is still full of longing and interest in life.

"Although the relationship with Mr. Konno is very deep. They used to live together in Shanghai before, and my uncle also made friends with many Japanese, but I think he still regards these feelings as his youth or this kind of relationship. A sustenance under the pity. If the fate of the times is not involuntary, he should have more choices." Ye Sisi said.

Habitat poster

Habitat is the spiritual sustenance

"Habitat" uses a minimal incision to dig out the issues that every family needs to face. We will all grow old slowly. How can we spend our old age with more quality?

According to statistics, China is entering an aging society at the fastest rate in history. By 2027, China will transform from an "aging" society to an "aging" society. Specifically, in just 25 years, the proportion of China's elderly population aged 65 and over will rise from 7% to 14%. It took France 115 years to undergo this transition, Britain 45 years, and the United States 69 years.

The elderly population, which is increasing year by year, has an increasing demand for pensions, medical care, and social services.

With the increase of empty-nest elderly and single-children, the traditional family care for the aged is facing challenges. Intergenerational filial piety and the concept of supporting the elderly are gradually weakening, and the family tradition of providing the most basic living security for the elderly is constantly weakening.

Ye Sisi followed the two elderly people to many nursing homes. Although the nursing home facilities are becoming more and more complete and there are more and more activities, Ye Sisi still feels that home care is more suitable for the elderly. "I feel that if the elderly are at home, such as It would be better to ask an aunt to take care of her at home, or use some intelligent equipment to maintain a certain level of service.” But for the elderly, Ye Sisi believes that happiness does not necessarily come from the family.

During the eight-year filming process, Ye Sisi felt that the two old people had a lot in common, "They are always very serious and love life, and they will not give up on life or feel sorry for themselves because of any difficulties. In fact, in the film It only mentioned that they will go abroad, and that they will encounter many difficulties in their lives, but they are not anxious, but actively trying to find a way. I even think that young people may not be able to do this.”

At the end of the film, Ye Sisi said in the narration: "When I named the film, the word 'habitat' jumped out at once. In addition to space, it also represents spiritual sustenance. A letter, a Folk songs, a preserved egg, are all precious memories, dreams, emotions, regrets, are all living up to life..."