“Telling mythical stories about hidden worlds is a gift. Giving breadth and depth to quotidian moments is a talent. Weaving cinematic forms while allowing reality to resonate is captivating [...] this director has succeeded in sharing a modern-day fairytale that heeds monsters and factories, alike.”
Whispers in May 春日幻游
Hybrid feature / 95 min / Nuosu Language w. English subtitle / Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Korea
In the remote Liangshan Mountains, 14-year-old Qihuo and her friends set out to find a skirt for her rite of passage. What begins as a small quest drifts into a suspended space of childhood, where time slows and the world is vast.
“a cinematic farewell gift of female empowerment before the twin obligations of work and marriage snuff out the last childhood dreams
”
“lyrical, warm Chinese debut is poignant blend of documentary and fiction”
“The film benefits from a strong point of view and a clear focus on its protagonist, embracing a simple narrative that ultimately becomes a strength”
“blends doc and improv into a magical journey from girlhood to womanhood”
“ It may stretch the definition of what we mean by ‘hybrid non-fiction films’”
“a brilliant example of a contemporary cinema’s emerging form...the result of an intense collaboration between a filmmaker and ‘more-than-real’ characters”
“its compassionate gaze and the evident trust between filmmaker and subjects yield a delicate coming-of-age story anchored in moments of fleeting emotion”
UPCOMING
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
When I first traveled to Liangshan, I wasn’t planning to make a film, until a local teacher showed some of her students’ writings. One line in particular stayed with me: “I’ve made many wishes, but none has ever come true.” Later that day, I met its author, Qihuo.
Bright-eyed, Qihuo loved trees and sparkling stones in a river, and squealed with joy at the sight of neon lights. However, as with many children in the area, her life was shaped by absences and loss: her parents were away as migrant laborers and her grandfather had recently passed. At 14, she was at a point where childhood was starting to slip away. The world was ready to define her — as a woman, wife, and migrant worker — before she could choose her own path.
I didn’t want to document her coming of age within a predetermined narrative. Instead, I wanted us to use the film to create an alternative narrative, a dream that ran parallel to her real life, exploring what she might not have done otherwise. Together, we embarked on the journey. Set against the rugged terrains of Liangshan, the film grew from close collaboration and improvisation with the girls, imagining a space where they could simply be in all their unfiltered joys and sorrows, free from judgment, definition, or expectation. They were just kids, navigating life’s complexities, straddling between reality and a tale.
Whispers in May is a reluctant coming-of-age story. It’s not about becoming, but about being allowed to linger in childhood and remain in that fragile space as life moves forward with all its cruelty and beauty.
STARRING & CO-CREATED BY
Jjippupmop Qihuo, Mathxiemop Atnyop
Lhithxamop Itgop, Lhithxamop Itsi
CREW
Director
Producers
Co-producers
Director of Photography
Cinematographer
Sound Recording
Editors
Composer
Illustration & Animation
Sound Design
Grading
Production Company
Co-production companies
Sales
Dongnan Chen
Jia Zhao, Kay Xu
Malin Hüber, Heejung Oh
Ming Xue
Ming Xue, Xiao Xiao
Kelan Li
Sisi Chen, Tao Gu
Chad Cannon
Chenxi Zhang, Lopvup·Ma·Axmuyiggu
Mark Glynne, Olmo van Straalen | Anthill
Albin Abrahamsson | Tint
Tail Bite Tail Films, Muyi Film
HER Film, Seesaw Pictures
Filmotor
Financial support: IDFA Bertha Fund, Netherlands Film Fund (NFF + IBF Co-production Scheme), Swedish Film Institute, Field of Vision, First Documentary Lab, edition, and La Fonte
Supported by Women Make Movies Production Assistance Program
Industry Forums: CPH:FORUM, IDFA Forum, and SmallRig Social Impact Project Market
Awards: DMZ Industry, H!-Docs Pitch, FreshPitch, TokyoDocs, CNEX CCDF, and Women’s Film Fund of China Film Foundation
