“Neither truth nor lie, neither real nor fictional; not a documentary, nor a narrative film. In the lens of a wildlife photographer, each actor both plays themselves and transcends themselves.” Before the film officially begins, director Liu Xin leaves such a clue for the audience. Prior to the Hotdocs screening, the host also kindly reminds the audience that this might be a slightly "quirky" film. Then, the opening line goes: “I am a wildlife photographer. I have a two-way camera. When I look at those animals, they also look at me.”
"Upstream" is a 71-minute experimental hybrid fiction exploring a fragmented odyssey homeward, traversing various spaces and temporalities. Perhaps we've all heard the story of salmon swimming upstream; adults often used Salmons' journey as an inspirational tale to kids. Salmon migrate from freshwater rivers to the ocean and then back to the rivers; their entire life is the migration process itself. However, as growing older, the director witnessed and captured this migration firsthand. Reflecting on this journey of salmon, this profoundly moving scene sparked his deep reflections on his hometown.
2020 marked Liu Xin's tenth year living abroad. He left China a decade ago to study nature photography in France, then returned to his hometown of Harbin in northeastern China, and later moved to Canada. There was a period when he had to shuttle between China and Canada due to work. Life in China and in Canada seemed like parallel circuits. He spoke two different languages, ate two types of food, played different roles in two societies, and lived two lifestyles simultaneously within and outside his family.
Using salmon as a pivotal metaphor, they not only symbolise the genesis of the natural order but also exemplify the intricate interplay among diverse animal species and their symbiotic connections.