Always follows Gong Youbin, a child in rural Hunan, China, who discovers the power of poetry to understand himself and his world while navigating poverty and limited connection with his mother. The documentary offers an intimate look at how writing can serve as a bridge between inner thoughts and external reality, showing the resilience and creativity of children in underserved communities.

The screening is part of Georgia Tech’s 2026 Global Media Festival, an annual series that brings global stories into dialogue with pressing social, cultural, and ethical questions. This year’s theme, Sustaining Empathy in a Fractured World, emphasizes empathy as a practiced and sustained capacity, critical for maintaining human connections in challenging contexts.

Following the film, director Chen Deming will lead a Q&A session, providing insight into the filmmaking process and the themes of creativity, self-expression, and empathy in the documentary. All festival events are free and open to the public, and light refreshments are provided to encourage discussion and engagement with the films’ messages. The festival also includes an introductory directing workshop and a series of international film screenings with discussions led by directors, scholars, and experts.