Chen Li

 

China / 07'36'' / In English with Simplified Chinese and English subtitles

 

Twenty years ago, a drunk young man was driving through the city at night when he collided with something that could never be clearly identified. The police investigation led nowhere, and his memory of that night—blurred by neon lights, alcohol, and fear—became fragmented, like a corrupted digital signal. He was sentenced to prison, yet one crucial question remained unanswered: had he hit a human being, a robot, or something existing in between?

Twenty years later, he is released from prison. The world has been completely reshaped by automation and synthetic beings, with humans pushed to the margins of the system. The media continues to obsess over the old case, attempting to extract a definitive answer from him. During his final meeting in prison, he remains silent under his lawyer’s questioning—until he casually notices a cleaning robot on the floor. At that moment, his expression seems to collapse into an inexpressible realization.

The Poor Devil is a science fiction short film that blends technological dystopia with dark humor. Moving between suspense and satire, the film is both the delayed aftershock of a single car accident and a reverse trial conducted by a technological era against an anonymous individual. It explores responsibility, memory, and the erosion of human subjectivity within an increasingly automated society.