Eleven

"Eleven," the debut short film from director Zhang Lu, provides a poignant and quiet look into the life of an eleven-year-old Korean boy growing up in China. Premiering at the prestigious Venice Film Festival in 2001, this fourteen-minute masterpiece highlights Zhang's unique perspective as he navigates cultural differences stemming from his own background as a member of the Korean minority in China.In a predominantly silent narrative, viewers follow the boy as he encounters a group of soccer-playing peers on a sunlit field. Through his interactions and struggles within this newfound community, we see the challenges faced by those living between two cultures. "Eleven" serves as a powerful reminder of the universal language of human experiences and how it transcends cultural barriers, offering an intimate glimpse into the world of a young boy on the cusp of adolescence as he searches for belonging and identity.