Synopsis
Heng, who has been away from home for ten years because of gender identity issues, finally gets back home but to attend mom’s funeral.
Ming Lou is a storyteller, also a director, screenwriter, and director of photography, born in 1997. He is dedicated to using film to intuitively evoke emotions and inspire audiences to engage in deep analysis and examination of the society around them. Through his films, he aims to give audiences a diverse range of feelings, expand their understanding of life, and foster empathy towards people they may have never met but exist vividly somewhere. He got his BE degree in Digital Media from the Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and now is a Film Directing MFA student at Columbia College Chicago.
In China, the lives of transgender individuals are incredibly difficult, especially when they have to deal with family members who do not understand or constantly criticize them. The rule that “gender reassignment surgery requires the consent of family members” further exacerbates their struggles. Caught between the challenge of gender identity recognition and the demands of daily life, they often feel overwhelmed and out of breath. So I created this short to bring more attention to transgender individuals, especially their family lives. I also hope that more and more parents can understand that their child’s gender identity is not a disease.