Late 2009 and early 2010 were marked by a series of property demolitions and forced evictions around Beijing 798 Art District. Young director Zheng Kuo happened to be in the area filming 798 Station, a documentary about the evolution of Beijing’s 798 factory space from an East German-engineered industrial park into a contemporary art hotspot. Zheng Kuo’s documentary The Cold Winter is a record of the artists who were forced from their properties, and the various methods that they used – peaceful sit-ins, public demonstrations, public artworks, appeals to the media, etc. – to try to bring attention to their plight. UCCA Indie Film Forum presents The Cold Winter and invites Zheng Kuo to share behind the scene stories with the audience.

2010.China. Zheng Kuo .102 mins. Chinese and English subtitles

Late 2009 and early 2010 were marked by a series of property demolitions and forced evictions in and around Beijing 798 Art District. Young director Zheng Kuo happened to be in the area filming 798 Station, a documentary about the evolution of Beijing’s 798 factory space from an East German-engineered industrial park into a contemporary art hotspot. Zheng Kuo’s documentary The Cold Winter is a record of the artists who were forced from their properties, and the various methods that they used – peaceful sit-ins, public demonstrations, public artworks, appeals to the media, etc. – to try to bring attention to their plight.

Zheng Kuo, graduated from the Department of Electronic Engineering of BUAA and the College of Ad of Beijing Union University. He joined the army as military artist for five years. After that, he worked in communication companies, newspapers, magazines, advertising companies and film companies. In 2011, he was awarded the Beijing New Youth Film Festival’s New Youth Image Award for his second documentary film, The Cold Winter.

In 2009 in the process of shooting 798 Station, thanks to an opportunity by chance, I came to the "warm winter plan" field. Relocation in China is nothing new, but the artists collective encountered strong violence, but few and far between. I hope this film objectively and fairly as possible, and I also hope that the film is a mirror, from which each of us can see their own.

Partner: Hour Hand Film Workshop