Clipping together life

The film shows women working in traditionally male-dominated blue-collar settings, such as on cargo ships, on construction sites and aboard rafts, using cormorants to fish.

"We consciously highlighted sectors dominated by women, such as textiles," producer Wang Jing says.

She says they also sought to present the fact that a lot of women are working in male-dominated industries, and are making even more effort than men to get these jobs.

"We hope that the women in these industries will be seen through the medium of film. If the documentary can raise awareness among viewers of both genders, and inspire discussions on these topics, then our efforts will have proved worthwhile."

This Is Life is the first-ever "vertical film" — the silver screen is able to simultaneously show five vertical mobile phone screens, which allows for the comparison and contrast of five videos.

"In the early days of cinema, when Auguste and Louis Lumiere produced The Arrival of a Train, it was a straightforward and crude shot. I feel that in modern times, when everyone can capture footage with their smartphones, it is a valuable opportunity to reflect on the definition of what is a film," Wang says.

"We often have certain expectations based on the majority of movies shown in cinemas. But my understanding is that they're able to bring us emotional experiences and visual expressions without being restricted by norms."