Out of Place (2025) [小城季风] dir. Jin Xiangyi

For the first time ever, the rare and musical Leqing dialect takes center stage in a feature film.

Out of Place (original title: 小城季风) is a poignant and visually stunning drama that explores the universal longing for home and the complexities of female identity against the backdrop of a rapidly modernizing China. The film, which captured the Best Film award in the Work-in-Progress section at the prestigious Pingyao International Film Festival, was released in January 2025 in mainland China.
Out of Place tells the story of Wan Ye, a photographer who returns to her coastal hometown near Wenzhou after years of living in France. She arrives to find that her past has been rewritten: her former lover is now married to her childhood best friend. As she navigates this delicate emotional landscape, she forms an unlikely bond with a spirited young woman who dreams of the life in France that Wan Ye left behind. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery on the evocative "Dolphin Island," a place of memory and new beginnings.

What makes "Out of Place" a truly unique cinematic experience is its groundbreaking use of the Leqing dialect, a regional language seldom heard on the silver screen. This bold artistic choice immerses the audience in the authentic atmosphere of the region, offering a rare and intimate glimpse into a side of China that is often unseen. The film serves as a vital cultural document, preserving the cadence and poetry of a local tongue for a global audience.

At the helm of this deeply personal project is writer-director Jin Xiangyi, a rising talent in Chinese cinema. A Wenzhou native herself, Jin's story is as compelling as her film's protagonist. After graduating from the esteemed Beijing Film Academy, she spent a decade in France, studying art and film. This cross-cultural experience has given her a unique "insider-outsider" perspective, allowing her to craft a narrative that is both deeply rooted in local tradition and resonant with international audiences.

Jin’s own journey of return and rediscovery infuses the film with a profound sense of authenticity and emotional depth. She describes the film as a female-centric version of the Chinese classic Spring in a Small Town, focusing on a woman's "departure and return" as she reclaims her own identity.
Out of Place is more than just a film; it's an invitation to experience the sights and sounds of a specific corner of the world through the eyes of a gifted filmmaker. It's a story for anyone who has ever felt caught between the past and the future, tradition and modernity, and the place you're from and the person you've become.

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