Synopsis
After being suddenly struck with dementia, an old man is brought to a dilapidated house and ordered to harvest corn, by a man who claims to be his son. Mocked and mistreated, the old man begins to doubt the identity of this “son.” However, when the police start searching for an escaped killer in the village, the “son” begins to doubt whether his “father” is the culprit.
Li Kaiwen
LI Kaiwen is a cinephile, an alum of Rhode Island School of Design, and an award-winning commercial and documentary director. He has worked extensively with VICE and DISCOVERY, creating numerous documentaries that have shaped Asia’s youth culture. He has directed commercials for top international brands including Airbnb, Beats by Dr. Dre, Intel, P&G, Burger King, and Burberry. He has also created music videos for China’s avant-garde artists such as J-Fever, Howie Lee and Snapline. His latest documentary series "China's Ultimate Caves" won the Telly Award for Best Documentary Series in 2024. Kaiwen is currently a director at Homework Productions, living between Shanghai and Los Angeles.
Director's statement
This film is the chemical reaction of two simple thoughts:
1. The Direction of Fantasy: I found that not all fantasies are POSITIVE. My fantasies are weird, whack, random or downright destructive (just like yours). Additionally, fantasies don’t have to be about the FUTURE. People fantasize about the past, too, reshuffling their history to redefine and reframe their present situations. The title of the film reflects this: “I Just Want to Be Wanted.” I want to be wanted by my family, but if not, to be a wanted fugitive sounds kind of cool, too.
2. Old Age in Film: Media often portray old people as kind and pitiable creatures asking for sympathy, which is simplistic and condescending. I want my man to takes matters into his own hands, and KICK ASS.
