Synopsis
The film tells the story of a 10-year-old boy’s silent struggle to imitate his best friend and replace her as the model for their teacher’s painting of Ophelia, in an attempt to achieve recognition and a sense of identification. In the end, he finally puts on the white dress and white pantyhose that he has been secretly yearning for, only to discover the ulterior motive behind the teacher’s apparent favoritism for the girl.
Qu Siqin
Director Qu graduated from Peking University with a BA in English Language and Literature. She has always been committed to artist creation and was the writer, director and producer of her first short film "Drowning to Become Ophelia".
Director's statement
The story is centered around the friendship between the boy and the girl, where jealous antagonism and sympathetic companionship coexist. The two children are so close and similar to each other, but they encounter different situations due to their respective genders. Aiming to give a nuanced portrayal of the extremely quiet interiority of the protagonist, the film was shot entirely on hand-held cameras. The intention was to utilize the flexibility and spontaneity of the camera movements to mimic the characters’ perspectives in a way that would bring the audience closer to them. The shaky shots carry a raw sense of instability that adequately conveys the complex and uneasy psychology of the boy, whose attempt at achieving self-identification has continually been denied and obstructed in the adult world.
