Director‘s Statement:
The creation of “Pedestrians in the rainforest” constitutes a conscious reflection on the paradigms of traditional documentaries. I sought to deconstruct the director's authoritative identity as a "narrator"; instead, I adopted a simple audio-visual language, deliberately preserving the rawness and original texture of life. This candor regarding the limitations of ontology of moving images is precisely intended to more effectively capture and convey the contemporary living conditions of the mountain-dwelling residents, with the hope of engaging in a dialogue with all audiences who, amid modernity, feel nostalgic and seek a spiritual homeland.

As an audio-visual ethnographic practice spanning three years (2022-2024), this project is dedicated to documenting the lives and ballads of the indigenous peoples in Hainan's rainforests. Its core motivation stems from my observation of the wordless rapport between the local "JindiMen" （“Jindimen” is a word in the local language, meaning “people who walk in the mountains and forests”.）community and the rainforest environment, as well as the profound inspiration derived from their wisdom of coexisting with nature. When Li ethnic group's ballads, in their authentic form, replace modern language, an ancient belief system—one that seems to originate from the depths of the rainforest and has tended to fall silent in the modern context—is able to transcend time through chanting and be revived once more. Moreover, the daily practices of the young Miao people in the film, who are interdependent with plants and bees, vividly illustrate a kind of life philosophy rooted in the mountains and wilderness—a philosophy that has become increasingly scarce in contemporary society.