Ben’s Flow is a 20-minute Canadian documentary directed, written and produced by Jeremy Zheng. Made in English and Mandarin, the film follows the sporting and human journey of basketball player Ben Li, using water as a visual and emotional metaphor for his journey.
The documentary focuses on the sport of basketball, recounting the growth of Ben, born in Canada, who pursues his dreams in American college basketball (NCAA) before courageously joining the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), signing with the Shanghai Sharks. Over four years of challenges, injuries and perseverance, the player finally wins the league's Most Improved Player award, a milestone marking his personal and sporting maturation.
Ben Li plays himself, and the narrative alternates moments of training, official matches and scenes of everyday life, offering an intimate look at his development and return to his hometown of Toronto. Zheng's direction uses the image of water as a unifying thread to represent the fluidity and resilience that distinguish the athlete's career and inner growth.
The film's central message is one of determination and inner change: like water, Ben learns to adapt to obstacles, finding his own direction without ever stopping. Ben’s Flow is also a reflection on the link between cultural identity and sport, on the sense of belonging and the courage to pursue a dream beyond borders.
The film is an independent project with a modest budget (CAD 1,500), made in digital, colour, 4:3format, and represents the director's first work by Jeremy Zheng. The completion date is 31 May 2025.
Film Details
Title: Ben’s Flow
Original title: 犇流不息
Director: Jeremy Zheng
Production: Jeremy Zheng
Country: Canada
Language: English, Mandarin Chinese
Running time: 20 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Sport featured: Basketball
Protagonist(s): Ben Li
Completion date: 31 May 2025
Premiere: [Not available]
Distributor: [Not available]
Shooting format: Digital, 4:3, colour
Director's first film: Yes
Student project: No