C / LENS

✨ 𝗖𝗶𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 — 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✨

As 2025 comes to a close, we look back on a year shaped by continuity, resonance, and collective presence.

Throughout the year, all CiLENS programs were made possible with the generous support of the 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 . Their funding enabled a full year of screenings, festivals, and community-based cultural work — and we are deeply grateful.

✨ 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
We opened the year with a 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 in collaboration with , combining film screenings, Mahjong, karaoke, and shared meals across five days.
In April, 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗺 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗿𝘀 returned to with a poetic revisit of classic films, with multiple screenings reaching full capacity.
June marked a high point with 𝗧𝗙𝗖 𝘅 𝗖𝗶𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗦: 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 in collaboration with , bringing together cinema, live performances, curated tea, and a late-night party with across two sold-out nights.
In July, the 2nd edition of 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱, co-presented with , welcomed over 𝟓𝟎𝟎 participants across screenings, workshops, and conversations.
August unfolded through an intimate 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗽-𝗨𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 with and the 𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗱𝘂 · 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗵𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 with .berlin , welcoming over 300 audience members to a fully booked cinema.
We closed the year with the 𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 (𝗜𝗖𝗖𝗪) at , welcoming more than 𝟳𝟬𝟬 audience members over four days of sold-out screenings and conversations.

💫 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝
As our funding landscape evolves, CiLENS continues as an independent, collaborative platform rooted in care, openness, and long-term relationships.

Thank you to everyone who made this year what it was.
See you in 2026 with CiLENS.

CiLENS Presents: The Secret of My Birth
《莉莉》
A Conversation with Li Jing


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CiLENS sat down with Chinese filmmaker Li Jing to discuss her short film The Secret of My Birth (莉莉) — a haunting coming-of-age story set in a humid seaside town in southern China.

Through the eyes of eleven-year-old Lili, the film reveals the quiet violence of son preference and the complex emotional world of a girl forced to confront her own family’s expectations.

When Lili learns that her parents are expecting another baby, a boy — something inside her begins to shift. What begins as childish jealousy slowly transforms into a chilling, instinctive resistance. Beneath the summer heat and the hum of cicadas, The Secret of My Birth unfolds like a fever dream of love and harm intertwined.
Drawing from her own memories of Beihai, Li Jing explores how tenderness and cruelty can coexist — not as opposites, but as reflections of systemic and generational patterns:

“Why can love and harm exist at the same time? I believe there’s something structural and deep-rooted behind it — that’s the real issue.”

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🎬 The Secret of My Birth (莉莉)
🇨🇳 Directed by Li Jing
🎞️ 2022 · 30 min · Cantonese with Chinese & English Subtitles
🌍 German Premiere

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🇩🇪 German Premiere at ICCW 2025
Part of (Re)writing Her Story 重写她声 · Shorts Program III

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🎟️ Don’t miss it on the big screen
Sat 9 Nov / 18:00–20:00 / Moviemento Kino 2
Tickets via link in bio.

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Interview ：Kexin XU
Editing / Translation ：Jianing LIU
Design ：Minu KIM
With support from CiLENS
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