Yaonan Liu

Yaonan Liu was born in Yunnan, China. Director, screenwriter and artist. Graduate of Beijing Normal University and the École Nationale Supérieure d’Art de Bourges. His first feature film, The Great Phuket, had its world premiere at Berlinale 2024. He is also the editor of The Botanist (directed by Jing Yi), presented at the Berlinale 2025.

Motherland

La sélection Annuelle 2025

She escapes her difficult past by settling on an island in the Pacific. Here, she hopes to find peace and quiet in a comfortable tourist bubble. During a sea dive, she discovers sunken ruins in a mysterious area. Back at the hotel, she develops a fever and a series of terrifying nightmares. She thinks they’re just dreams, until this subconscious space penetrates her real life.