Playhouse

European Premiere

Year of production 2022

Countries of production

Duration 27 min

Genres Drama/Children

Language(s) Chinese

With English subtitles

Director Zoey Cao

Synopsis

Xiao Lin and Chuan Yu are lesbian lovers who work in soft porn industries. One day a man hired them to act as his wife and daughter. However, the relationship among them gradually grew tense.

Director’s bio

Zoey Cao, majoring in film & television photography and production at Communication University of China. She played the role of screenwriter for the feature film DRIFTED IN LIFE, which entered the Lift-Off Global Network film festival.

She was the co-writer and director of cinematography of the feature drama Chang E, which entered the Italy LUCCA festival and the Brizail BC film festival. She directed and scripted the short films Devour, An abortion, and A backstage conversation. She has won the general champion of the selection of new literary talent by Shanghai Writers Association, the first prize in Shanghai Poetry Creation Competition.

Director’s statement

In sex industry, there is no lack of role playings and body renting, which makes me reflect on the boundary between truth and falsehood inour daily lives, and the impact left by the family of origin. Xiao Lin and Chuan Yu are placed in the gap between truth and fiction in this family role-play. Sometimes they are themselves, sometimes they are forced to act like wife and daughter. Under the division, their original utopian relationship is eroded. Through this 'playhouse', I hope we could question: is this patriarchal family happiness? Or, the boundary becomes blurry and non-significant nowadays? In brief, I hope this short film could challenge some social construction in a feminism way. As long as we feel confused, even for a minute, that is a rebellion of things taken for granted.

Festival & Awards