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Frankenfish by the River

Chen Yusha | 2022 | China | 100min | Romance / Fantasy / Youth
Xie Junqian丨Chen Yusha丨Yang Yang丨Hou Zongjian丨Chen Yusha, Yang Yi, Guo Ziyi

Synopsis

After catching her boyfriend cheating, dejected actress Liu Jiajia returns to her hometown. Ling and Youwei once shared a kiss, but Ling acting as if nothing happened. Just as he feels down and melancholic, Youwei meets Miss A on a dating app and falls in love with her. The three friends stop meeting because of this, leaving each of them to deal with their problems alone. After some time, Jiajia finally meets Xiaohe. During their conversation, Jiajia gradually realizes her problem. The three friends reunite, but now they are joined by Miss A. Summer vacation comes to an end. When the three friends feel dejected while hanging out by the river, they tell the story of the monster in the river. Gradually, the three of them disappear on the bridge.



鱼怪 导演

Chen Yusha

A graduate of Sichuan University of Media and Communications, Chen directed short films The Woman (2018) and Strawberry Night (2019). The former was in competition at the Shanghai Queer Film Festival competition and Beijing Short Film Festival.


Director's statement

This film is my exploration for what is meaningful in life. I find the time right after university graduation to be a very interesting stage of life. Although they are grown-ups, they are slightly behind the pack when they first enter society and learn to be “adults”. This causes them to develop the phenomenon of “being crazy in people’s faces and sad behind their backs. ” They each have little secrets, but it does not stop them from becoming close friends. The more I grow up, the more I can feel loneliness. I hope that the film can bring comfort to people. Staying innocent and fragile are the secrets of bravery. Be brave enough to “grow up”.