FINDING YINGYING
A film by Jiayan "Jenny" Shi
2020, 98 minutes
2020, 98 minutes
No. 343
Documentary
Documentary
Description
Yingying Zhang, a 26-year-old Chinese student, comes to the U.S. to study. In her detailed and beautiful diaries, the aspiring young scientist and teacher is full of optimism, hoping to also be married and a mother someday. Within weeks of her arrival, Yingying disappears from the campus.
Through exclusive access to Yingying’s family and boyfriend, Finding Yingying closely follows their journey as they search to unravel the mystery of her disappearance and seek justice for their daughter while navigating a strange, foreign country. But most of all, Finding Yingying is the story of who Yingying was: a talented young woman loved by her family and friends.
Festivals
Winner, Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Voice, SXSW
Winner, Best Documentary Feature, Loudoun Arts Film Festival
Winner, Emerging Filmmaker Award - Documentary Feature, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Winner, Special Jury Mention, San Diego Asian Film Festival
Winner, Special Jury Mention, San Diego Asian Film Festival
Reviews
"The film captures their ordeal with compassion and a measure of self-reflexivity, which is as much as this unavoidably grim material could ask for." - Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times
"The film is masterfully directed, shot, and produced by Jiayan “Jenny” Shi...brilliantly weaves together a tragic crime story with a sensitive, authentic family drama, peppering it with transcendent moments of hope and heroism....nothing short of extraordinary and will leave a lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to see it." - Josh Flanders, The Chicago Reader
