This review may contain spoilers
A Cathartic Journey
Zhang Zhehan tells his story through snapshots of the people he meets and of the natural wonders he sees on the journey to Lhasa.The result is a documentary full of warmth and happy discoveries, with an undertone of the director's struggle to embody that joy himself as he used to. And what perhaps matters the most when discussing topics such as mental health and healing, Zhang doesn't portray the story as a cookie-cutter, happy ending fairytale.
Throughout, the documentary is visually gorgeous. The power of nature is shown in full, and so are the hopes, dreams and daily life of the people encountered on the way. There is no artificial dramatization of the events or emotions, and no attempt to turn human experience into a consumable.
Zhang Zhehan lets the genuine happiness, confusion and love of the journey speak for themselves, all the while carefully listening to them himself.
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Amazing Tibet biking documentary
I love to know how Zhang Zhehan is throughout the best Tibet biking documentary. The people he met, the stunning landscapes of Tibet captured by him, and the words showing his lovely and thoughtful mind, all let me know the importance of life keep going and no regret to the past. I wish I can see more about this kind of documentary by the director Zhang Zhehan.It's really the August I imagined, and it's not just that August. Listening to Zhang Zhehan talk about every August he encountered in his life, until that moment. He pushed August into the abyss with us, watching him climb up the iceberg step by step, with endless cliffs next to him, as if that August had been embodied in this way, and then restarted in August of 2022, and finally August of 2023. Arriving in his dream Tibet, I seemed to be inspired by his indomitable spirit and revived, just like I had experienced the past three years with him.
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An inspiring and healing journey!
The documentary “August” has comforted me in many ways. The dogs and cat, warm and friendly interviewees, peaceful forest, clear waters and majestic mountains. Listening to director Zhang Zhe Han’s narration, sounds of bird chirps and even the whirls of the bicycles also brings a lot of peacefulness to me. Having watched it made me want to visit the mysterious and scenic Shangri-La, QiuNaTong, Tongmai, Medog and Lhasa. You will learn more about what to pursue in life and what dreams are all about, after watching this 4k resolution documentary “August”.Was this review helpful to you?
Peaceful & Beautiful
Storyline itself is so powerful yet after finished the whole documentary it just makes me feel so peaceful, kind of being healed. Those scenes are super super beautiful, each stories with strong sense of reality & down-to-earth, and lastly the director, also the actor is sincere and soooo handsome :p he’s very brave to film his such own disastrous experience.Was this review helpful to you?
Sensational, Inspiring, and Healing!
"August" is a warm and inspiring documentary story about director Zhang Zhehan. This documentary debut is beautifully performed with breathtaking cinematography and sensational narration. This film makes me realize that no matter what evil or hardship we experience in life, only by keeping going on and never giving up on ourselves, eventually we will see the truth, goodness and beauty of the real world. And along the way, we can even realize our dreams and create our own miracles! Look what an achievement director Zhang Zhehan has accomplished with numerous music credits and awards in less than three years after he lost everything in his career! 《August》is definitely a film with hope, serenity, and strength!Was this review helpful to you?
This is a heart-warming and healing documentary.
Zhang Zhehan suffered huge rumors and slander online violence in August 2021, which led to the interruption of his acting career and his life has fallen into hell. In August 2022 and 2023, he went cycling to see the world, people, scenery, and all the beautiful things. He was saving himself and people who were also hurt.Even though he suffered huge online violence, Zhang Zhehan still appreciates the beautiful things in the world with a beautiful eye. In this documentary, he showed his broad-mindedness, strength, optimism, and courage to move forward.
I think people who have also suffered from online violence can find strength from this documentary. This is a heart-warming and healing documentary.
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A documentary that heals people's hearts
Very good documentary, beautiful scenery, true story, I like the sentence very much: "Lhasa is not an end, it became the starting point at the moment I arrived."On the road, it is meaningful in itself.The director's camera truly records everything, the local customs along the way, about life, about riding and dreams, everyone has different feelings.
I don't know if anyone like me wants to travel to Tibet after watching it. The beautiful grassland, snowy mountains and primitive forests are so shocking.
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An inspiring and healing journey!
Although life is unpredictable, man is not an island after all. After being swallowed by an unexpected and unexpected huge black hole, riding in August was also a brave self-rescue for him to re-enter the crowd and move towards real life. After the baptism of this trip to Lhasa, he finally found the reason to continue on, "brothers, dreams, love, and those real existences.Was this review helpful to you?
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This is a great documentary.
Director Zhang Zhehan's first documentary "August", from the director, screenwriter, performance, shooting, editing, he almost all participated, which shows that he is an all-powerful person. This documentary records a journey of his riding in Tibet in August 2023, from which we can feel Zhang Zhehan's sincerity. You can take a closer look. There are not only lovely and kind hearts, but also very beautiful scenery, lovely animals and beautiful love in the film.Was this review helpful to you?
A great cycling documentary that allows you to ease your pain.
When I was preparing my graduation thesis, I was recommended by a friend and discovered this documentary. At that time, I was in a state of extreme anxiety, always thinking that if my defense didn't pass, would my life be hopeless? Later on, when I saw this documentary, I felt that my anxiety symptoms had improved a lot. To be honest, I started writing this film review after watching it twice. The first time I watched it was without searching for any actors. What attracted me the most was the narrative rhythm and techniques of the documentary. This documentary did not pile up boring displays of cultures encountered while cycling, but presented culture and stories from the actors' first perspective, which is really charming. The second time I watched it was after reviewing the story of documentary director Zhang Zhehan. After learning about the unfair fate and treatment suffered by Zhang Zhehan in his own country, I had the ability to appreciate the documentary from another perspective. I better understood the emotions he expressed in the documentary, not strong demands, but a gentler and warmer reconciliation and search. His optimistic attitude towards the desperate situation just woke me up: life is a step-by-step process, as long as we live, there is nothing impossible.Was this review helpful to you?
A film that makes people feel comfortable.
I feel very comfortable after watching the film "August". During this director's trip, I met many interesting people and stories, got some thoughts in the beautiful scenery and found my love.I feel very comfortable after watching the film "August". During this director's trip, I met many interesting people and stories, got some thoughts in the beautiful scenery and found my love.Was this review helpful to you?
Calm but powerful
After watching August, I was very moved. I regret that Xiaozhe's acting career was suddenly interrupted. From the whole documentary and his narration, it was really excellent and his lines were particularly good. This documentary in August resonated with me. I personally have a yearning for the snow-capped mountains. At the beginning, the scene of climbing the snow-capped mountains really shocked me. The world is vast enough for the next one. When I saw him standing on the streets of Shangri-La, there would be a connectionWas this review helpful to you?
