Vee Shi’s first feature film “Time and Tide” has found an international sales home at Inwave Films, the Paris-based team revealed.

The hybrid non-fiction film, which had its world premiere in competition in Visions du Réel’s Burning Lights section earlier this year, will be presented to buyers as the company continues to build its documentary slate.

Set in a remote Chinese town, “Time and Tide” follows the disintegration of a family after its patriarch dies from a stroke. His ex-wife, who has long wanted out of her unhappy marriage, and his second daughter, who is raising a child alone on a tight budget, must shoulder the burden of caring for him. Shi draws on her own family history to examine aging, domestic violence, and intergenerational duty in contemporary China, working in a mode that combines close film observation with formally inventive cinematic language.

Following its debut in Visions du Réel, the film took home the Documentary Australia award at the Sydney Film Festival. It will next screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

“‘Time and Tide’ is a raw and deeply intimate hybrid non-fiction film that transforms a family crisis into a broader reflection on aging, care, violence and responsibility in contemporary China,” said the Inwave Films team. “For us, ‘Time and Tide’ stands out as one of the most compelling Asian documentaries to emerge this year. It is deeply honest in its subject matter and remarkably inventive in its form. We were struck by the courage and emotional openness of this cinematic approach, and we are proud to support the film on its international journey. We believe its deeply personal yet universal story will resonate with audiences around the world.”

Shi, who first gained attention through award-winning short films like “Jia” before making his feature debut, added: “‘Time and Tide’ is a film that is intimate and specific in its story and location, yet thematically universal, speaking to the broader experience of contemporary China. We were looking for a sales agent who understands both the film’s audience and the international market, but more importantly, who is open to collaborating with us on international strategy. Inwave ticks all those boxes.”

The deal expands Inwave Films’ recent push into documentary sales. The company also recently tackled “Lust,” a Berlinale title from director Ralitza Petrova, expanding a slate focused on internationally recognized arthouse cinema.

“Time and Tide” is written and directed by Shi and produced by Nicholson Ren and Shi for Niu Studios, in association with Big and Little Films. Michael McMahon serves as executive producer alongside Ren and Shi. Ren also served as director of photography, with editing by Shi, original music by Luna Pan, and sound post-production by Music and Effects.