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What do we discover when a door opens and trust replaces the gaze of a visitor?
For more than ten years in China, photographer and author Pierre Alivon shared the daily lives of young Chinese people. Welcomed into their homes and invited to share their meals, friendships, and everyday lives, he discovered an intimate China, far removed from familiar stereotypes.
Blending photography, documentary footage, and narration, The Thirteenth Banner takes us beyond appearances. The film explores the aspirations, doubts, transformations, and relationships that shape a generation living through profound social change. Behind every door lies a unique story, where identity, family, friendship, the body, solitude, tenderness, and diversity intertwine.
Based on the book of the same name, this documentary is, above all, a human journey. It tells the story of how the trust placed in the author by this generation transformed his way of seeing the world and became a lasting source of inspiration for his artistic work.
Beyond cultural differences, the film reminds us that our encounters with others are what give true meaning to travel.
Directed by Pierre ALIVON (France)