Unlike big-budget CGI spectacles, Upon the Magic Road is an intimate, character-driven piece that uses its fantastical elements as metaphors for grief, memory, and the fragile boundary between childhood imagination and adult reality. The story follows Li Fan (Li Meng), a disillusioned screenwriter in her thirties struggling with creative burnout and the recent death of her mother. Seeking solace and inspiration, she returns to her childhood home—a quiet, slightly rundown neighborhood in a Chinese city. There, she discovers a mysterious, seemingly sentient old road that runs behind her family’s apartment building.

The film was shot on location in an aging residential district of Chongqing, using natural lighting and long, static takes to create a dreamlike yet documentary-style authenticity. The score, composed by Ding Ke, features sparse piano and ambient field recordings (distant traffic, children playing, rain on tin roofs) that blur the line between diegetic sound and emotional underscore. Critics have praised Upon the Magic Road for its restraint and emotional depth. While some mainstream audiences expecting a conventional fantasy adventure were disappointed, the film has found a strong following among fans of slow cinema and lyrical magical realism. Li Meng’s performance—quiet, weary, and gradually softening—has been singled out as a career highlight.

Upon the Magic Road is a 2023 Chinese fantasy drama film that blends heartfelt family storytelling with elements of magical realism. Directed by Suxin (also known for The Last Women ), the film stars actress and singer Li Meng as the lead, with a supporting cast including Zhang Chen, Wang Congxi, and Li Xiaochuan.