From confused lives to deadly mudslides, five takes on life

"Since the country adopted the policy that allows families to have a second child, many couples have expressed the wish to do so. But they also encounter many problems, such as economic stress and gaining approval for their decision from the first child.

"I also wanted to shoot a story about a couple reigniting their enthusiasm for one another and for their own lives after being married for many years."

Apart from serving as director, Jia talked with the other four directors about their scripts, bringing consistency in the way they filmed and helping bring all the material together.

Most of the members of the team spoke English or Chinese, but Jia reckons language and differences in time zones presented the biggest challenges.

"At one point we translated the dialogue of the Brazilian and Russian stories from English, but linguists told us that handling things that way resulted in the original flavor being lost, so we retranslated both versions from Portuguese and Russian."

The Brazilian story, titled When the Earth Trembles, looks into the lives of survivors after a massive mudflow caused by a mine dam bursting struck Minas Gerais state on Nov 5, 2015, killing at least 17 people.

Some of the scenes use news photos to give a real touch, said the Brazilian producers during the 2017 Chengdu BRICS Film Festival held in Sichuan province from June 23 to 27.

In the Russian section of the film, titled Breathing, a man suspicious about his wife's loyalty is accidentally injured, seriously, as they quarrel. To save her husband's life the woman has to turn a broken accordion into an oxygen pump.

The director, Alexey Fedorchenko, said in Chengdu that he got the inspiration from a Chinese news report about such an unlikely use of the musical instrument.

Jia says that the story that surprised him most was the South African one, Stillborn, a sci-fi tale about a janitor who fights against her destiny, which is pre-programed in a futuristic world.

"It explores the recycling of life with a rich imagination," Jia says.

For most Chinese viewers the Indian story Mumbai Mist may strike the most resonant chord. In the sprawling city a retired man drives away loneliness by befriending a street boy.

All five stories end in an old saying or a famous line about time to connect the following one.

Jia says: "Before Where Has Time Gone? I took part in similar projects (that brought filmmakers from multiple countries together) initiated by South Korea and Switzerland. I feel so proud that now I can join a Chinese-led project. The coproduction is making history by transforming BRICS from a political and economic concept into a cultural one."