Three Sisters

The mother of the three sisters in this documentary has abandoned them, while their father works in a city far away, The three girls aged four, six and ten spend the autumn on their grandfather”s farm high up in the mountains near the Burmese border. They have to work hard every day and look after the many animals on the farm. Their only food is a few potatoes. The eldest looks after her two younger sisters, a burden too heavy for her young age.

The poor villagers don”t profit from their country”s thriving economy. The children endure their harsh life with a cheerful resilience. Sometimes they roam around the farm, where the wind always seems to blow. This misty landscape provides a welcome change from the darks spaces in the farmstead.

Wang Bing told EYE Exposed how he as a filmmaker related to the villagers. He helped them by giving them food and clothes, not just the three sisters, but the entire village. His film tells the real story of their lives, though he was powerless to change how they live. Wang Bing sometimes wonders why he continues making films, as his films are unable to effect a change. He is just an individual caught in a system, like his protagonists. The only thing he can do is hope his films are watched.

Three Sisters is screened without a break.