Synopsis
THIS WOMAN features the story of an ordinary woman who, at the age of 35, lost the job that she had for the previous ten years. Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, she returned to hometown from Beijing to find ways of living for herself, her parents, and her child. In an effort to pursue everyday life, she navigated different intimate relationships and embarked on a journey of self-exploration.
ALan
The director of this film, Alan Zhang, is born in the 90s. She is from China, is a director, painter, artist, feminist activist. She has held two solo art exhibitions called LEAVING BEIJING AND LETTING YOU IN. She also has two video creations of performance art works, called CASTING AWAY and LOOKING FOR A SPERM. Alan zhang's latest work is a feature film, THIS WOMAN, which has just been selected into the burning light section of the Visions du Reel.
Director's statement
I made the decision to make the film THIS WOMAN last year, without any hesitation. It was my second year of being a mother. I was thrilled to have the chance to shoot a film that features the life of my friend. This is an experiment for both of us, two women who are enthusiastic about films and salways fascinated by the topics of marriage, family, love, intimacy, and self-exploration. This is how this film came about. Despite all the limitations, we still managed to complete the film as planned. I look forward to reaching out to a wider audience and involving more people to watch this film and discuss films that highlight women’s conditions, the challenges they face as well as the courage they harbour.