Thereafter (trailer)

Video: Thereafter

(I was trying to upload a video link from youtube, but i am not sure if it works. if anyone can see it, please let me know. thanks.)

Thereafter (2006)

19mins.

Synopsis

Faced with the death of the Father, a family copes with grieving and loss, as they prepare their home for Father’s return on the seventh night

Director's statement

The theme of this short film is very simple – to explore how Chinese cope with the loss of a family member and how they support each other to get through this difficult time.

One of the most important characteristics that represents Chinese culture is the uniqueness and subtlety of Chinese people when connecting with each other. Take the characters in this film as an example, they do not usually express their feeling in a direct and explicit manner, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t an intimate bond. On the contrary, the family tie is very strong. They love and cherish each other, but in a subtle way through physical interactions.

In order to achieve this subtleness, it is necessary to depict and visualize the story through a Chinese perspective. After a lot of discussions and explorations, we have decided to borrow the ideas of traditional Chinese arts and philosophy. As inspired by the Taoist theory of landscape painting, when we present something, we don’t narrate. We don’t explicitly and subjectively decipher an emotion for the viewers. We rather minimize the dramatic quality of the plot and preserve the natural flow of all the actions and rhythm in the diegetic world. We introduce the viewers to the scenes and let them feel the atmosphere, and then we ask them to use their own imagination or feeling to join in the pleasure of looking with the artist and interpret the emotions on their own.

Director / Editor : Kenji L. (kantorates)

Screenwriter:Carter Leung, Charlotte Tai, Loraine Tai

DP: Charlotte Tai

Screening: IFVA 2007 (Jury Recommendation)