LEFT-BEHIND CHILDREN

Documentary- SHORT

USA

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Left-behind children are a special group of children residing in the mountains and rural areas of China. Their parents migrate to larger or more developed cities in search of higher income and job opportunities, leaving their children behind to be cared for by grandparents, relatives, or other adults. Although they may have become accustomed to the absence of their parents, their desire for familial affection and protection remains strong. This documentary explores the present circumstances of left-behind children. The protagonist, Xuanxuan, is a ten-year-old girl whose parents left her to seek employment in the city of Shanghai when she was four years old. She is the epitome of China's more than six million left-behind children. These children stay silent, enduring the burden of their existence, the gradual wearing away of their solitude, and the intense pain of longing, just like the mountain they live on. Additionally, they are currently facing the problem of insufficient educational resources. While their monetary circumstances may be getting better, their education, emotional well-being, and spiritual development demand greater care and affection.

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