Apple has released a short video titled 'Nian' for the Chinese New Year that was shot on the iPhone 12 Pro Max along with another video covering the making of Nian. Director Lulu Wang said that it's really exciting that we have this opportunity to retell this ancient story to capture these incredibly cinematic images with the iPhone, this very versatile device. Nian is a heartwarming, coming of age tale about a young girl who's caught between the fantasy world of her childhood and growing up into the rea world.

Wang added that she thought the iPhone gives the filmmaker a lot of flexibility in terms of designing shots to capture this film and that in it of itself is incredibly powerful.

Anna Franquesa-Solano, Cinematographer behind the video stated: "So we decided to treat the iPhone as a cinema camera and you can do very impressive and dramatic shots with it. And with the iPhone being such a small device you can almost become a one man band. That freedom and simplicity is actually very powerful.

Finally, Wang added that "It's going to be charming, fantastical, magical and very atmospheric. I hope when audiences realize that we shot the film on iPhones that they'll feel empowered. They don't have to wait for permission to go out and make things.

Chinese New Year – Nian

A Chinese New Year legend reimagined as a contemporary coming-of-age story, Shot on iPhone 12 Pro Max. Directed by Lulu Wang and created by the team behind the Golden Globe nominated film, The Farewell.

Making of ‘Nian’ with Lulu Wang

How do you make a movie without using a movie camera? See how Director Lulu Wang pulled it off with the iPhone 12 Pro Max and go behind the scenes of Apple’s latest Chinese New Year film, Nian. All it takes is a little creativity to make cinema magic, just like the movies.