Light Pillar (HKAFF)

In the near future, movies have long since become outdated. Lao Zha is a janitor at a film studio for 20 years, living only with an abandoned cat "actor". When the studio is closing down, the boss can no longer afford his salary and gives him a VR headset instead. Lao Zha, now jobless, unexpectedly enters a whole new world of virtual reality. The dazzling digital world is more alluring than the cold, harsh reality. Animation director Xu Zao makes a stunning debut, capturing the anxiety and emptiness of urban life.

Berlin International Film Festival