"Artist and filmmaker Viv Li was born and raised in Beijing, but has lived abroad for 15 years-a fact that has inspired several of her films, in which she navigates identity politics and belonging. An alumna of the Sundance Institute and Berlinale Talents, her latest film 'Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest' is having its world premiere at the 2026 Berlinale, featured in the Panorama Dokumente section."
"Following her semi-autobiographical character through the cultural landscape of Berlin and Beijing, the film presents the artist as a "misfit" between two cultures. Tackling themes of migration, belonging in a globalized world and self-acceptance, 'Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest' explores the local queer scene in Berlin, traditional family values in China and the state of limbo in which the protagonist finds herself."
Viv Li was born and raised in Beijing and has lived abroad for 15 years, shaping films that navigate identity politics and belonging. Li is an alumna of the Sundance Institute and Berlinale Talents. Her feature film Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest premiered at the 2026 Berlinale in the Panorama Dokumente section. Li directed, wrote and shot the film and collaborated with cinematographer Janis Mazuch for scenes in which she appears on camera. The film follows a semi-autobiographical protagonist between Berlin and Beijing, portraying a misfit between cultures and addressing migration, belonging, the local queer scene in Berlin, traditional Chinese family values, and self-acceptance. Li arrived in Berlin in 2020, obtained an artist visa and focused on writing and filmmaking during the pandemic, securing funding to develop the project.
Read at Berlin Art Link
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