Synopsis

It is a coming-of-age tale where youth grapple with their first profound loss. Filmmaker Yi-Shan’s best friends Chun and Yueh were trapped in a Nepal cave for 47 days. Chun died three days before Yueh's rescue, prompting Yi-Shan to take up the camera and retrace her friends’ footsteps in Nepal. When Yi-Shan reaches the cave, what awaits her there?

Curators’ note

The friend I miss the most—where did she go? In the days without her, I bring back the images of her in my mind to show you. If every frame of memory is destined to fade with time, I want to leave those images imprinted in my heart forever. Director Yi-Shan retraces the paths her friends once walked, seeking the meaning of loss. In the caves of Nepal, she faces not only the silence of emptiness but also, through countless unanswered questions, finds a new version of herself. This documentary is a profound exploration of loss and revival, where every frame touches the loneliness and hope deep within the heart. （Dr Peize Li）

Director’s bio

Yi-Shan LO is an independent filmmaker and writer.Since her teenage years, she has been fascinated by the intertwined relationships connecting humans and non-humans in Taiwanese subtropical mountains. Conveying the beauty and complexity of wilderness has motivated her to make films. After the Snowmelt （2004）is her debut documentary feature.

Director‘s statement

The seed for After the Snowmelt（2024）was planted as I came of age, receiving a letter from my high school best friend, Chun. He wrote before he died: “Yi-Shan, the only thing you have to do is to love.”

Chun and I met at a Catholic girl's high school, where his boyish appearance as a transman drew criticism. He would weep in front of me, while I comforted him and was moved by his resilience. Alongside his beloved Yueh, they inspired me to explore the world beyond the classroom, and we made a promise to travel abroad together someday.

Since the accident, I relived in my dreams the lonely experience of waiting for their return. The overwhelming desire to reunite and fulfill the broken promise drove me to make this film. Chun's last wishes taught me the essence of love - assuming the role of the survivor and embracing the responsibility of sharing this story.

Through this film, I want to create a journey from trauma to reconciliation. It resonates not only with themes of gender, education, and nature but also serves as a testament to the resilience of life, the potential for growth, and the realization that life is not just about surviving, but about truly living and loving.

Festival & Awards

Visions du Réel, Switzerland (12 – 21 April, 2024)

Burning Lights Competition

Trento Film Festival, Italy (26 April – 5 May, 2024)

International Competition

Jeonju International Film Festival, South Korea (1 – 10 May, 2024)

International Competition

Docs Against Gravity Film Festival, Poland (10 – 19 May, 2024)

Casts

Credits

Cinematographer: Yi-Shan LO, Wei-Long TSAI

Editor: Jessica Wan-Yu LIN

Sound Design: Yannick DAUBY