When Cynthia Cai started her Polygence project, she thought it would lead to a research paper or maybe a journalistic piece, not a full-fledged production celebrated by numerous film festivals. She planned to base it on her upcoming trip to her parents’ hometown of Quanzhou, a city in southeastern China known as a historic melting pot of religions and recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Her parents encouraged her to use the experience as a way to connect with her roots and deepen her understanding of where she came from.
Things then took an unexpected turn. After three weeks in Quanzhou and more than five hours of raw footage, her passion project evolved into something entirely new. She made a film. Her short documentary, Echoes of Silk and Tides, has now been recognized by film festivals around the world.
Turning Moments Into a Story
Cynthia and her family hadn’t returned to China in years. This time, they stayed longer and spent more time in their hometown. As they explored the city, they simply started filming, capturing real life as it unfolded. “We just filmed everything we saw, and we interviewed some locals,” she recalled.
At first, it was just a way to document the experience. “I wasn’t considering a documentary at all. It felt too big.” But as the footage grew, so did the vision. “By the end, we had over five hours of footage and thought, we can really do something with this.” That was when the idea of a film began to take shape, a story of Quanzhou told through her eyes.
She began building the project from there. After collecting all the footage, Cynthia filed them into a large Google Sheet, sorting each clip by usability and topic. Then, she began designing her script. Throughout her three weeks in Quanzhou, she discovered many thinking points she wanted to specify in her video. The combing through of the clips further strengthened her ideas about where to take the project. As a director, she created a visual story she wanted to tell, and using an outside editor, all of these pieces were stitched together into a beautiful, cohesive journey. It was her story, shaped by her experiences, her observations, and her thoughts.
Polygence ignited a spark that Cynthia continued to fan until it became a flame, crackling with life, guiding her from initial idea to a finished film that felt deeply personal and real.
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Mentors Who Understood the Vision
Cynthia’s project came to life with guidance from her Polygence mentor, Hala, a JD candidate at UC Berkeley. From the start, Hala was closely involved in shaping the project. She helped Cynthia prepare the research framework, design thoughtful interview questions, and review the many iterations of both the script and the final video. Cynthia described her as wonderful and incredibly supportive. Her guidance strengthened the documentary’s narrative structure and helped Cynthia express both cultural insights and personal reflections in a clear and compelling way.
After completing her Core sessions, Cynthia joined the Polygence Premium Showcasing Support program. There, she worked with Johnathan, a historian with a PhD in History from UC Berkeley whose research focuses on global history, particularly East Asia. While Hala guided the development of the documentary, Johnathan helped her revise a separate journalistic piece that she submitted to publications such as Polyphony Lit and Under the Madness Magazine.
Both mentors played a meaningful role in Cynthia’s creative journey. Their combined support allowed her to explore different forms of storytelling and gave her the confidence to share her voice with a wider audience.
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Sharing Her Story With the World
Toward the end of her ten Polygence sessions, Cynthia began thinking about how to share her film beyond the classroom. She discovered FilmFreeway, a platform where independent creators can submit their work to festivals around the world. With encouragement from her mentor, she applied without expecting much. To her surprise, the film quickly began gaining international attention.
Her film, Echoes of Silk and Tides, was recognized by several festivals:
Official Selection at the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, an Academy Award qualifying event
Official Selection at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, a Canadian Screen Award qualifying event
Official Selection at the Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival
Best Student Film Award at the Ridgewood International Film Festival
Best Student Film Award at the Maryland International Film Festival
Honorable Mention at the ONSET Educational Film Festival in the United Kingdom
Cynthia even traveled to Palm Springs, California, to attend the AmDocs festival in person. “They drove us to the venue. We got to watch other films for free. I felt like a real filmmaker,” she mentioned. The entire experience gave her a new perspective on what her work could become.
Reflections on the Journey
Looking back, Cynthia never expected her project to take this path. She had started with a simple goal in mind, but the experience led to something much more meaningful.
“I’ve spent too much time on it for it to be just a hobby,” she reflected. Working on the filmmaking project through the first semester of junior year opened new doors and gave her a fresh, diverse perspective on the world. It also changed how she thought about the future. “I’m more open-minded now when it comes to jobs and majors.”
For other students thinking about their own art research projects, Cynthia encourages them to stay flexible.
“Don’t let the amount of research or the scale of your project discourage you. Things might start out one way and end up somewhere totally unexpected, just like mine did. Be open-minded.”
Even the title of her film, Echoes of Silk and Tides, tells part of the story. The “silk” refers to the traditional flower headdresses shown in the documentary. “Tides” captures the coastal setting of Quanzhou. Together, they reflect the history, movement, and emotion Cynthia hoped to preserve. What began as a project to connect with her roots became a turning point where she found her voice as a storyteller. Now, she is ready to keep sharing it. Polygence is proud to support students like Cynthia as they explore new ideas, take creative risks, and turn curiosity into something real.
Empowering Passion-Driven Research and Lifelong Skills Through Mentorship
Polygence empowers students like Cynthia to pursue filmmaking and research projects that truly reflect their passions and interests, providing personalized mentorship and support every step of the way. By fostering creativity, critical thinking, and adaptability, Polygence helps students develop essential soft skills—such as communication, project management, and storytelling—that extend far beyond the classroom. Cynthia’s journey from a simple idea to an award-winning film exemplifies how Polygence mentors not only nurture academic growth but also inspire students to discover their unique voice and confidently share their stories with the world.