A lot has happened to me over the past year. Many of my loved ones passed away, all so suddenly and unexpectedly.One day, I also received an abrupt phone call from a friend back in my hometown who is around my age. He said he wanted to say goodbye, explaining that I might not be able to reach him for quite some time. When I asked why, I learned that he had broken the law just to make a living and planned to turn himself in the next day.During our conversation, I could feel the helplessness and confusion about life that our generation faces—feelings that clouded his judgment and led him down the wrong path.Another close friend of mine invited me to his wedding. It should have been a joyous occasion, yet all he talked about was his frustration and resignation toward marriage.These two friends left a deep impression on me. As someone living and working in Beijing away from home, I have come to sense the confusion young people feel at this stage of life.Every time I return to my hometown, I always like to go up into the mountains. They hold so many memories and stories. Time slips away and never returns. Now, when I look at the mountains of my hometown, all I feel is desolation. Compared to the vast mountains, human beings seem so small and lost.These emotions and experiences inspired me to make the film Clouds in the Wind.