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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