xíng zhou
indie filmmaker
writer / director
Beijing, China
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Toronto, ON, Canada
Chicago, IL, United States
explore xíng zhou’s Magnum Opus
QU MO SI KE HAI
(TO MARE MOSCOVIENSE)
Synopsis: Set in the late 1980s in a chinese rural town, a mother and son’s relationship is defined by silence and a mutual inability to reach out to each other. On one sweltering summer afternoon, a transformative encounter with cinema sets the son on a surreal journey that leads him to a rare moment of shared empathy with his mother.
Inspiration: the film is inspired by Xíng Zhou's deep reflection on his own upbringing, especially his childhood and early relationships, which delves into the trials and tribulations. It’s a meditation on the passage of time and how our younger selves continue to shape who we become, exploring themes of growth, loss, and reconciliation with self.
Premiere: TO MARE MOSCOVIENSE will officially premiere in 2026, marking another significant creation in Xíng Zhou’s independent filmography.
filmography
Drama / Arthouse
Co-Writer / Director
Toronto, ON, Canada
Drama / Arthouse
Writer / Director
Hebei & Beijing, China
Drama / Arthouse
Co-Writer / Director / Director of Photography
Toronto, ON, Canada
experimental
Experimental
Director
Vancouver, BC, Canada
xíng zhou’s next step
Xíng Zhou is preparing for his fourth short film, a thesis film at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
This film departs from a personal encounter and enters a world where memory, identity, and perception fracture and overlap. Inspired by a recent reunion with his estranged father, he explores not confrontation, but re-interpretation—how one might look again at someone they thought they understood, and see only shifting outlines.
The film is scheduled to be shot in the Summer / Winter of 2026.
FU QIN XIANG WAN
(DRIFTING INTO THE NIGHT)
concept (created by AI)