25th New York Asian Film Festival

July 10-26, 2026

U.S. Premiere

Jet Lag in Summer

八九点钟

Writer-director Yan Kunao plays Pingu, a first-time filmmaker trying to shoot his thesis feature in New York, opposite Chen Shuyao as Jiaqi, an aspiring production designer whose stalled job search pushes her toward a return to China. Then the pandemic closes the route home: her connecting flight is canceled, leaving her stranded in Los Angeles while Pingu stays behind in New York with his film, his crew, and his wavering sense of purpose. The film’s comedy lives in the embarrassments of young auteurs, borrowed confidence, and half-formed projects; its ache comes from a romance stretched across closed borders, bad reception, and time zones. Made on a shoestring budget, loose in form, and improvisational, Yan’s sly debut catches a generation trained to leave, then stranded between ambition and home.

Director: Yan Kunao
Producers: Yan Kunao, Chen Qianfan, Lauren Yue Pan
Screenwriters: Yan Kunao, Tan Shuli
Cast: Yan Kunao, Chen Shuyao, Maria Müller, Jueun Kang
Languages: Mandarin, English with English subtitles
2025; 93 min.; DCP
Countries: Hong Kong, USA

SCHEDULE:

Thursday July 23, 3:00pm
Film at Lincoln Center

Intro and Q&A with director Yan Kunao

Yan Kunao

Yan Kunao is a Chinese screenwriter, director, and producer. He graduated from the Communication University of China and earned an MFA in Directing from Columbia University. His debut short film, Summer Swing, premiered at the Shanghai International Film Festival and was shortlisted for La Semaine de la Critique at Cannes. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Columbia University’s Department of Film. His co-produced feature Jing Guo was selected for the 74th Berlinale, while Jet Lag in Summer, his first feature film, premiered at the Pingyao International Film Festival in 2025.