Going fast! Only 9007199254740991 unlocks left
Elida once harbored a strong passion for dance, but was gradually worn down by reality to the point of almost compromising. Unexpectedly, she became an expectant mother. Would she return to a mundane life or completely break free from her bondage and pursue her dreams? She tried to express her wishes but was ignored and rejected. After being coaxed and deceived with sugar-coated bullets, she wavered and almost gave up on her aspiration to resign herself to the life her family and lover expected. However, when she uncovered the truth that she missed out on a role opportunity because of the obstruction of her closed ones, she became the protagonist on that abandoned stage. Using dance to bid farewell to them and the past, she also embracing a future，uncertain but firmly in her own hands. She changed into her imaginary dress and walked along the corridors of the hospital towards the consultation room at the end.
Director Biography
Lin Xiaotong, born in 2003, is a student at the Department of Directing of the Central Academy of Drama, majoring in Theatre Directing. As a young director and actress, Lin directed the short film The Dancer in the Mundanity. She also served as the casting director of the short film The Lonest Day, starred in Rundown and so on. During her studies, she created theatrical works such as The Weight of the Mountain and Crimson, exploring the diversity of feminist representation. Her play Tashi Delek / Bless You discusses the life and death views of different ethnic groups based on Tibetan life. Additionally, her children's play Song of Eternal Belief uses the personification of cultural relics to present an epic love story, which was shortlisted for the Incubation Programme of Theatre & Performing Arts for Young Audiences of Beijing Children Art Theatre and Incubation Programme for Young Talents of Beijing Poly Theatre.
Wang Zirui, Non-binary, born in 2001, is a student at the Department of Film & TV Art at the Central Academy of Drama, majoring in Film Directing. As a young director and screenwriter, Wang's focus lies primarily in narrative films, including the short films Escape Plan, The Evolution of Utopia, Dancer in the Mundanity, and Boyfriend’s Girlfriend. Meanwhile Wang also engages in the creation of commercials, documentaries, and experimental videos, include the short films The Birth of an Ape and the experimental short film The One. Additionally, Wang takes part in the direction of cinematographic critique on the CCTV6 program Movie Talk. Wang also serves as a playwright and director for theater productions, and works as a stage supervisor for the projects Harmonious Family, Best Before, Love Is Around, and Paranormal. Wang has received awards such as the Guangzhou Watermelon Theatre Golden Melon Award, The Second Youth Director Creation Support Program of National Theatre of China, Beijing Fringe Festival, the Aranya Theatre Festival Showcase unit and so on. Venturing into installation and performance art, Wang aims to achieve intertextuality in expression across various creative mediums, with his representative work Art Career of Shipping Crates presented in the parallel unit exhibition at the Central Academy of Fine Arts 2023 Graduation Season Exhibition Fresh Power, the 14th National Art Exhibition and so on.
Director Statement
Along with the prosper of global economic and politics, especially with the rise of the women's rights movements that has been practiced by the people of all genders over the past century, feminism have also been under rapid development. However, in East Asia, influenced by thousands of years of patriarchy and autocracy, the development of gender equality has lagged behind, and the concept of gender inequality remains deep-rooted. A woman is expected to manage the household and raise her children, and many of them have to give up their careers and dreams. Even those women whose consciousness has awakened may find it difficult to let go of their bondages due to emotional entanglements. On one hand, there is oppression, and on the other, seemingly considerate care for these women and their fate, which actually creates a greater dilemma. Especially when the oppressors are their own family members and lovers, how should they choose? Many people have chosen to compromise. Such absurd and helpless situations take place every day. We hope that more people will unite, more voices will emerge, to bravely resist and choose the truth when facing the emotional oppression of sugar-coated bombs.
Our story's protagonist, Elida, is a girl from China. She once majored in dancing and was frustrated after chasing her dreams. Under her parents' arrangement, she became a primary school art teacher, a women’s perfect profession expected by typical Chinese parents. Her parents are the "emotional oppressors" mentioned above. The pressure Elida faces is not only from her father but also from her seemingly gentle mother. Her mother once cared for and comforted her, but when it comes to the issue of children, she immediately changes her attitude to persuade her, this causes Elida greater harm and disappointment. On another level, the concrete opponent Elida is facing is her fiancé. He seems to be gentle and considerate, but when Elida proposes to try hard for her dream, he despises and wants to control Elida. The so-called protection is just a beautification of making one lose their independent personality.
In terms of expression, we have chosen plain realism with a blend of theatrical effect in both form and story. After expressing clearly, we laid the plot and the transformation of the characters' hearts through events and relationships. For example, in the scene where the theatre setting appeared for the first time, Elida and her fiancé both had their own purpose in mind, and what they want to achieve is contradictory. How do they go from becoming surprised to anxious, then to estrangement when an accidental event breaks in? This almost dramatic narrative is also the direction of our efforts this time. We do not use structure and experimental images to escape the difficulties of telling a story, but express through the protagonist's key choices when facing key issues. Even when the theater setting appears, they stand on the abandoned stage, which also simulates an audio-visual language of drama. The connection between the movie and the play lies in the fact that our protagonist is named Elida, which is the same as the name of the heroine in the selected dance drama "The Lady from the Sea". This achieves a certain intertextuality. We used Handheld shooting method throughout the film to pursue a realistic texture. In addition, we have tried a long shot in a single scene twice to approach the true texture. The first scene and the last scene, the second scene and the penultimate scene have similar photographic angles to achieve structural contrast. At the same time, on the basis of reproduction, we add expressive elements. In the protagonist's dance, as the posture stretches, daily clothes become dance skirts. In the last scene of abortion which takes place in the hospital, she is still wearing the imaginary dancing costume. Whether or not this scene is true, whether she made this decision or not, we try to leave some ambiguous areas.
Elida once harbored a strong passion for dance, but was gradually worn down by reality to the point of almost compromising. Unexpectedly, she became an expectant mother. Would she return to a mundane life or completely break free from her bondage and pursue her dreams? She tried to express her wishes but was ignored and rejected. After being coaxed and deceived with sugar-coated bullets, she wavered and almost gave up on her aspiration to resign herself to the life her family and lover expected. However, when she uncovered the truth that she missed out on a role opportunity because of the obstruction of her closed ones, she became the protagonist on that abandoned stage. Using dance to bid farewell to them and the past, she also embracing a future，uncertain but firmly in her own hands. She changed into her imaginary dress and walked along the corridors of the hospital towards the consultation room at the end.
Director Biography
Lin Xiaotong, born in 2003, is a student at the Department of Directing of the Central Academy of Drama, majoring in Theatre Directing. As a young director and actress, Lin directed the short film The Dancer in the Mundanity. She also served as the casting director of the short film The Lonest Day, starred in Rundown and so on. During her studies, she created theatrical works such as The Weight of the Mountain and Crimson, exploring the diversity of feminist representation. Her play Tashi Delek / Bless You discusses the life and death views of different ethnic groups based on Tibetan life. Additionally, her children's play Song of Eternal Belief uses the personification of cultural relics to present an epic love story, which was shortlisted for the Incubation Programme of Theatre & Performing Arts for Young Audiences of Beijing Children Art Theatre and Incubation Programme for Young Talents of Beijing Poly Theatre.
Wang Zirui, Non-binary, born in 2001, is a student at the Department of Film & TV Art at the Central Academy of Drama, majoring in Film Directing. As a young director and screenwriter, Wang's focus lies primarily in narrative films, including the short films Escape Plan, The Evolution of Utopia, Dancer in the Mundanity, and Boyfriend’s Girlfriend. Meanwhile Wang also engages in the creation of commercials, documentaries, and experimental videos, include the short films The Birth of an Ape and the experimental short film The One. Additionally, Wang takes part in the direction of cinematographic critique on the CCTV6 program Movie Talk. Wang also serves as a playwright and director for theater productions, and works as a stage supervisor for the projects Harmonious Family, Best Before, Love Is Around, and Paranormal. Wang has received awards such as the Guangzhou Watermelon Theatre Golden Melon Award, The Second Youth Director Creation Support Program of National Theatre of China, Beijing Fringe Festival, the Aranya Theatre Festival Showcase unit and so on. Venturing into installation and performance art, Wang aims to achieve intertextuality in expression across various creative mediums, with his representative work Art Career of Shipping Crates presented in the parallel unit exhibition at the Central Academy of Fine Arts 2023 Graduation Season Exhibition Fresh Power, the 14th National Art Exhibition and so on.
Director Statement
Along with the prosper of global economic and politics, especially with the rise of the women's rights movements that has been practiced by the people of all genders over the past century, feminism have also been under rapid development. However, in East Asia, influenced by thousands of years of patriarchy and autocracy, the development of gender equality has lagged behind, and the concept of gender inequality remains deep-rooted. A woman is expected to manage the household and raise her children, and many of them have to give up their careers and dreams. Even those women whose consciousness has awakened may find it difficult to let go of their bondages due to emotional entanglements. On one hand, there is oppression, and on the other, seemingly considerate care for these women and their fate, which actually creates a greater dilemma. Especially when the oppressors are their own family members and lovers, how should they choose? Many people have chosen to compromise. Such absurd and helpless situations take place every day. We hope that more people will unite, more voices will emerge, to bravely resist and choose the truth when facing the emotional oppression of sugar-coated bombs.
Our story's protagonist, Elida, is a girl from China. She once majored in dancing and was frustrated after chasing her dreams. Under her parents' arrangement, she became a primary school art teacher, a women’s perfect profession expected by typical Chinese parents. Her parents are the "emotional oppressors" mentioned above. The pressure Elida faces is not only from her father but also from her seemingly gentle mother. Her mother once cared for and comforted her, but when it comes to the issue of children, she immediately changes her attitude to persuade her, this causes Elida greater harm and disappointment. On another level, the concrete opponent Elida is facing is her fiancé. He seems to be gentle and considerate, but when Elida proposes to try hard for her dream, he despises and wants to control Elida. The so-called protection is just a beautification of making one lose their independent personality.
In terms of expression, we have chosen plain realism with a blend of theatrical effect in both form and story. After expressing clearly, we laid the plot and the transformation of the characters' hearts through events and relationships. For example, in the scene where the theatre setting appeared for the first time, Elida and her fiancé both had their own purpose in mind, and what they want to achieve is contradictory. How do they go from becoming surprised to anxious, then to estrangement when an accidental event breaks in? This almost dramatic narrative is also the direction of our efforts this time. We do not use structure and experimental images to escape the difficulties of telling a story, but express through the protagonist's key choices when facing key issues. Even when the theater setting appears, they stand on the abandoned stage, which also simulates an audio-visual language of drama. The connection between the movie and the play lies in the fact that our protagonist is named Elida, which is the same as the name of the heroine in the selected dance drama "The Lady from the Sea". This achieves a certain intertextuality. We used Handheld shooting method throughout the film to pursue a realistic texture. In addition, we have tried a long shot in a single scene twice to approach the true texture. The first scene and the last scene, the second scene and the penultimate scene have similar photographic angles to achieve structural contrast. At the same time, on the basis of reproduction, we add expressive elements. In the protagonist's dance, as the posture stretches, daily clothes become dance skirts. In the last scene of abortion which takes place in the hospital, she is still wearing the imaginary dancing costume. Whether or not this scene is true, whether she made this decision or not, we try to leave some ambiguous areas.
