Best Short Documentary
Synopsis
This film delves into China today through professional mourners-women from two generations whose lives cross paths, challenge the usual stereotypes foreign films have about Chinese stories.
Protagonist Lielie, a punk girl, embodies dissonance her tattoos clash with Hello Kitty slippers, externalizing her rebellion against and uneasy truce with tradition. The mourners’ performative grief in death rituals becomes a prism refracting societal crises of dignity:
though flush with cash, they remain marginalized by mainstream values, oscillating between numbness and vitality.
Rejecting an Orientalist gaze, the film documents raw truths with icy humor— a generation gap where the young tear themselves apart between familial pressures and selfhood, while the old, having escaped poverty, now chase hollow notions of “respectability.” As China’s transformative tsunami batters individuals, some adapt like earthworms regenerating in cracks; others weaponize absurdity. The director suspends judgment to capture untamed humanity, probing the eternal clash between materialism and spirituality, performance and authenticity. A modern parable of survival, it mirrors a nation in convulsive change through generational collisions.
Director Biography – Yan Lu He
Yanlu He, born in 2000 in China and educated at University College London, has developed a filmmaking style that feels both introspective and bold. Inspired by the narrative depth of indie films and the innovative vision of directors like Xiaolu Guo, she draws from a wide range of influences to shape her creative approach. Her work delves into the intricate dynamics of human relationships, all while connecting these stories to larger social themes.
For Yanlu, filmmaking is more than just storytelling—it’s about sparking meaningful conversations. She sees cinema as a way to explore shared experiences and bridge cultural divides. By weaving personal narratives with universal ideas, she creates films that resonate with a wide audience. Through her work, she hopes to inspire understanding, empathy, and a deeper connection between communities.
