43-year-old Maleonn is one of China's most influential conceptual artists today. His father, Ma Ke, was the artistic director of the Shanghai Chinese Opera Theater. When Ma Ke is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Maleonn devises an ambitious theater project to preserve their history. "Papa's Time Machine" is a visually stunning time-travel adventure told with human-sized puppets. At the play's heart are autobiographical scenes inspired by Maleonn's memories with his father. 

Through this family lens, the film explores what it meant to be an artist in China in the 20th century and what it means today. From the trauma of the Cultural Revolution to the modern challenges of mounting an original art performance, the directors probe the artistic impulse across generations. Using evocative imagery and with haunting, yet universal, moments, Our Time Machine is about the power of art to combat and console against the ravages of time.  D: S. Leo Chiang & Yang Sun, China, subtitled, 2019, 1h26m

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