Director Reflecting on Algorithms Focuses Debut on Delivery Riders and Programmers | Food Talk Vol. 39
In August 2024, two feature films about the food delivery industry premiered. Coinciding with their release, Hangzhou witnessed two sudden incidents involving delivery riders: in August, a confrontation between a rider and a security guard sparked a collective protest by nearby couriers; in September, a top-performing rider known as a “king of orders” died suddenly on his e-bike, triggering widespread online mourning and debate. It was also in Hangzhou that the film Another Day Full of Hope was shot, a story following a delivery platform programmer and a rider that examines the logic behind algorithms.
After screening the film, the Foodthink editorial team found that this is not only the most profound exploration yet of food delivery and algorithms, but also a rare work of outstanding realist cinema in recent years, capturing even the realities of pandemic life during its 2022 production. Anyone who has navigated the turbulence of the past few years will surely find countless points of resonance within it. As director Liu Taifeng remarks: “This is a film made for everyone.”
On 4 September 2024, we sat down with the film’s director, Liu Taifeng, and producer Zhu Tong to discuss the creative process and reflections behind the movie. We also explored how ordinary people can navigate life and recognise one another in the face of powerful algorithms and platforms. We hope this film and this podcast episode will help audiences hold onto the belief that hope can still be found for the future, even when confronting today’s stark social realities, and empower them to make the right choices, just like the protagonist, Wei Li.
*Another Day Full of Hope* is now showing in cinemas nationwide. We highly recommend catching it at a local theatre, and we’d love to hear your thoughts and join the discussion in the comments.
Episode Guests
Liu Taifeng
Director and screenwriter of *Another Day Full of Hope*
Zhu Tong
Producer of *Another Day Full of Hope*
Hosts
Wang Hao
Foodthink editor and observer of labour and technology issues.
Tianle
Founding editor at Foodthink and organiser of the Beijing Organic Farmers’ Market. Makes a concerted effort not to order food delivery in both work and daily life.
Zheng Yuyang
Foodthink editor and a Heilongjiang native making his way in Beijing. Before starting postgraduate studies, he worked as a food delivery rider for four months to save for living expenses. He currently focuses on issues around digital technology, agricultural tech, and sustainable development.
Timestamps
08:05 Delivery riders and filmmakers alike trapped in the system, where everything boils down to traffic and data
09:52 A near-miss traffic incident prompts reflections on ordinary people behind the city’s relentless pace, marking the start of the scriptwriting process
14:58 Beyond missed deadlines and riding against traffic: the realities of daily life for delivery riders
16:21 Trapped by algorithms: programmers navigating KPIs, performance reviews, promotions, pay rises, and redundancies
23:34 Within the system, no one can afford a sudden crisis
28:21 What is the true value of our work? Where does workers’ dignity stand? And does “serving the people” still hold meaning today?
31:04 Why are we constantly rushing to make ends meet yet so mentally drained?
34:27 Restaurants are closing down while digital platforms continue to rise
37:51 Delivery services cutting corners, food safety concerns, and whether riders actually eat takeaways themselves
39:54 A distorted low-cost system and vicious cycle, with our physical health ultimately paying the price
45:14 The fragile middle class: health and assets that can’t withstand a single shock
50:53 Why do workers’ rights and lives have to take a back seat to platform metrics and data?
55:44 Upcoming screening plans for the film
Further Reading
2. Sun Ping: Transitional Labour
3. “Portraits of Strangers Project”: Rider Diary Series – a long-term, comprehensive documentation of the circumstances and stories of delivery riders across the country.
4. Previous Food Talk episode:Film vs Reality: What Is the True Life of a Delivery Rider Like? | Vol. 38
5. Foodthink:Riders’ Hardships and Middle-Class Anxiety: Who Can Save Whom?
6. Xiansheng Zhizao:The Lawyers in the Orthopaedic Emergency Room: Car Crashes, Assembly Lines, and the Price of Human Life
7. Chiapas Dongfeng TV:What Is Labour Realism? A Discussion Beginning with Two Theatrical Films About Delivery Riders
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This Episode’s Production Team
Coordination: Food Talk
Production: Xiao Putao
Music: Ba Nong
Cover Art: Xiao Jing
Editor: Tian Le
Contact Email: xiaojing@foodthink.cn