Synopsis
Youtiao and Meihui have been married for nearly twenty years. When their daughter Huanhuan was entering college, a shirt that hadn’t been washed—more precisely, the question of how it should be washed and who should do it—triggered a series of conflicts, leading the couple to a turning point. As everything familiar changes, Huanhuan’s love life also begins to transform.
Chen Congcong
Chen Congcong (born 1987) is a Chinese director and screenwriter, known for Hairdresser (2013), Habits and Memories (2014), Once Upon a Time in Jiading (2016), and Silent Mentor (2017). He studied in the Oil Painting Department at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 2009. Chen started his career in the film industry after graduation. Chen is currently in the process of making next film The Football Night.
Director's statement
In creating BEFORE DIVORCE, I aim to explore the profound impact of mundane family matters on marriage and the helplessness and choices people face when reality conflicts with their ideals. Although the story of You Tiao and Mei Hui appears to revolve around a quarrel over a shirt, it unveils long-standing family conflicts and personal grievances accumulated over twenty years. Through their on-and-off relationship, I want the audience to feel the fragility and resilience of modern marriages, as well as the complex interplay of love and responsibility.
The film strives to reveal the reality and helplessness of family life through delicate emotional portrayals. I hope the audience can see reflections of their own lives in the characters’ fates, evoking resonance and introspection.
