Documentary focuses on foreign students chasing their dreams in China

After 26 months of filming and 8 months of post-production, veteran filmmaker Vincent Zhou has completed his 101-minute documentary, "The Moon is Yours." The groundbreaking film is the first in China to focus on the real-life experiences of foreigners studying in Shanghai.

Through the eyes of six international students navigating their paths in Shanghai, the film paints a vibrant and intimate portrait of ambition, struggle, and self-discovery. It reveals what it truly means to chase dreams far from home in one of the world's most dynamic cities.

Zhou highlighted students from countries including the US, Russia, Croatia, Zimbabwe, Italy, and Thailand, with each having their own dreams, beliefs, struggles, and confusions during their studies at Fudan University.

"Our film offers a fresh perspective, documenting this group's diverse personalities, adaptation to local life, family ties, and genuine emotions," Zhou said. "Their real experiences in Shanghai, a city known for its openness and generosity, are both inspiring and moving. Many foreign viewers have been deeply touched by their stories."

Zhou, known for feature films "Last Flight" and "The Truth," has been well-received at numerous international film festivals, including the European Independent Film Festival in France, the Nevada Film Festival in the US, the Anatolia Film Festival in Turkey, and Lift-Off Film Festival in Japan. His films have been featured as the opening and closing selections at the Light of Asia Outstanding Chinese Movie Exhibition Week in South Korea.

He is also acclaimed for documentary "Perlman in Shanghai," which won the Starlight Award, the highest honor in Chinese television storytelling. However, filming "The Moon is Yours" presented greater challenges, requiring him to manage many unforeseen situations during the lengthy production period.

Despite a very limited budget, Zhou and his team, including students from Fudan's Journalism School, persevered from 2022 to 2025 with passion and dedication.

Zhou believes that time is the greatest screenwriter and director of documentary work. His team filmed more than 900 hours of footage, later condensed to 85 hours for editing.

In the coming months "The Moon is Yours" will be submitted for competition and exhibition at various film festivals and screened at prestigious colleges worldwide. It will also be released in Chinese theaters and on streaming platforms soon.