Synopsis

While promoting a tech company's groundbreaking VR innovations, a young scientist jeopardizes her career by choosing to harness her creations to genuinely aid a grieving family, defying the company's demand for a staged publicity spectacle.

Curator’s Note

Director’s bio

Shicong Zhu is a writer/Director based in Los Angeles with an M.F.A. in Film & Television Production from USC School of Cinematic Arts.

A recipient of the 2020 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Grant, Shicong is an Emerging Filmmaker at Cannes Marché Du Film - American Pavilion and an Award-winner and mentee at the China Sci-Fi Conference. Her previous creations blend ancient lore, dream spaces, and technology to explore spirituality in contemporary settings, earning accolades from festivals such as Fantasia, Aesthetica, and LA Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Director’s Note

In 2020, amid the pandemic, I discovered a poignant documentary about a Korean mother reconnecting with her departed daughter through virtual reality. Witnessing her simultaneous grief and joy profoundly impacted me, sparking an exploration of technology, spirituality, digital humanity, and grief processing.

Heather’s Voice emerged from this journey, fueled by my personal grief and observations. Inspired by a TikTok trend reanimating deceased family members, the project delves into blurred boundaries between the living and the dead, memory and reality, in the era of machine learning and AI. In these transforming times, Heather’s Voice navigates uncharted territories, addressing timeless human experiences of grief, loss, and the yearning for closure.

In the evolving realm of digital humans, the film provides a unique perspective, presenting the challenges faced by a protagonist wielding the "magic" of modern technology. It explores the dilemma of using such power conscientiously, even at personal risk, while highlighting a woman of color confronting toxicity within the tech and gaming industry. Heather’s Voice delves into the intricate interplay between grief and technology, illustrating how these innovations can both aid and complicate our journey through loss.

Festival & Awards

Casts

Jordan Nguyen, Hana Wu

Credits

Editing: Kelsy Lua

Sound design: Lai Jiang

DP: Sarah Reddy

Production Design: Dowon Yoon & Yudi Zhang