Siphon Man - short cinematic essay film

Siphon Man is a mobile experimental short film by Canadian filmmaker Perry Mark Stratychuk, shot on location in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. Inspired by the cinematic philosophy of Chris Marker, this voyeuristic video essay follows one man’s obsessive pursuit of water—transforming a mundane act into a surreal meditation on purpose, ritual, and urban isolation.

Blending documentary realism with abstract visual storytelling, the film captures fleeting moments of movement, texture, and quiet tension in a bustling Chinese city. Stratychuk’s lens turns the ordinary into the enigmatic, inviting viewers to question what drives us—and what traps us—within our own routines.

Perfect for fans of experimental cinema, urban micro-narratives, and international video art, Siphon Man offers a poetic glimpse into the psychology of obsession and the aesthetics of everyday life.

Produced, directed, photographed, and edited, by Perry Mark Stratychuk

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Running time: 9:46