Synopsis
Studying in an out-of-state college, Emily Sung returns home for her cousin’s wedding. On this jovial evening, when everyone around her is celebrating love and marriage, Emily struggles to confront her traumatic past.
Song Jinsui
SONG Jinsui is a Chinese writer-director and editor based in Los Angeles. She recently graduated from the MFA Directing programme at UCLA and holds a BFA in Screenwriting from the Beijing Film Academy. Her work has been screened at the Cairo International Film Festival, CAAMFest, Florida Film Festival, etc. Growing up in Shenzhen, China, a metropolis situated in Guangdong Province, she struggled between traditional Cantonese values and modern aspirations. Her filmmaking style combines tragic comedy and comedic tragedy to explore the complexity of human experiences and emotions. She endeavors to create films about women, in particular Chinese/Chinese-American women, and the many facets of their womanhood.
Director's statement
It all began four years ago when my mom sent me a picture—a wedding photo of my cousin. Since that day, I never stopped thinking: What would’ve happened if I were there? What would I have done? What would I have said? Would he have been able to recognize me? I don’t know. After finishing the first draft, I kept asking myself: Does the world need another “METOO” film? The more I dug into my memories, the more I realized, all the shame, the guilt, the fear, the anger I harbored for all these years, are not solely caused by what happened 20 years ago. They are also caused by the environment I grew up with, and the values I was taught by my family and society—how to be a girl, a daughter, a woman, and possibly, a wife. Even though SOMETHING BLUE is about my personal childhood sexual trauma, I didn’t want to simply make an “issue film”. I endeavored to make a film as complex as the women around me. This film is a portrait of these women, particularly Chinese women. I hope this film can let us all know: We are not alone.
