In the organizer's words:

At the beginning of the 2000s, Qiaoqiao, who works as a dancer and model in Datong, and Guo Bin, who seeks his fortune on the construction sites of the Three Gorges Dam, have a relationship characterized by emotional imbalance. After a long search, Qiaoqiao finally meets Guo Bin again - only to immediately leave him again. In 2022, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, their paths meet again, only to diverge once more.

The unhappy love story unfolds against the backdrop of a changing China, which, as in Zhangke's previous work, seems to be a protagonist of his films itself. The passing of time and the social transformation of the country are also reflected here in the form of the film. Zhangke uses changing visual materials, from analog footage to modern digital technology.

Caught by the Tide is part of Jia Zhangke's oeuvre, which has been sensitively observing China's transformation and individual life paths since the early 2000s, linking personal history with social development.