This film is part of Free
River Scenery China
Beautiful panoramas of a busy Chinese wharf evoke the river life of yore.
Overview
These beautiful panoramas of a busy wharf (somewhere) in China evoke the river life of yore: sampans sail serenely by, rowing boats laden with passengers and cargo jostle for a mooring on the stone pier, and stevedores lump heavy cargo on their backs to shore. Some curious cargo too – look out for the gentleman wearing a pith helmet apparently carrying a gramophone horn.
We’ve almost no background information on the making of this film. But its style and subject are similar to Riverside Scenes in China (c.1922) – long takes, wide-angle shots, a fixed tripod, ‘in camera’ editing, and a nautical theme. Could we hazard a guess that the two are related? Perhaps they are fragments of production footage for an unrealised project?
Related
A Stilted City. Chungking. China A Stilted City. Chungking. China
Travelogue 1930 1 mins Silent Location: Chongqing
Life among the limpet-like buildings clinging to the steep banks of the Yangtze in southwest China.
Mongolia Mongolia
Amateur film 1935 42 mins Silent
Mongolian men show off their prowess in wrestling, archery and horse racing, known as the “three manly games”.
Homework and Street Scenes in China Homework and Street Scenes in China
Travelogue 1908 7 mins
Intimate vignettes of crafters, beggars and labourers in the workshops, on the streets and eating in the outdoor kitchens of imperial China.
Among the Tribes in South-West China Among the Tribes in South-West China
Documentary 1948 37 mins Silent
This alluring travelogue follows a missionary on his colourful journey into the ethnically diverse mountains of Yunnan, south west China.
Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China Rice Cultivation in the Si-kiang Delta, South China
Documentary 1937 2 mins Silent
An exceptionally detailed look at the process of rice cultivation, from planting to harvesting to pounding, in the Xi Jiang Delta, Guangdong Province.
An Oriental Venice An Oriental Venice
Travelogue 1925 2 mins Silent Location: Hangzhou
Enjoy a cruise along the ancient canals of Zhejiang Province in eastern China with this gorgeous stencil-coloured travelogue
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.
Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.