The Door Answerer
Director：Xixi, Lisa Wu
Screenwriter： Lisa Wu
Cast：Jane, Jerome L
Producer：Jingshan
Cinematographer：Keke
Running Time：5 min
Region：China
Year：2023
Language：Mandarin Chinese
Production Company：Beijing Queer Chorus
SYNOPSIS
” You seem to hide something on the other side of the door….” The attentive mother noticed that, from a certain point in time, her son stopped sharing everything and a layer of shadow hung over his room.In order to unlock this door that stood between the two generations, both the mother and the son put in efforts; their internal emotional struggles and the external rumors didn’t defeat them. After confiding in each other, they discovered that “your love and my love, they were always the same.” Love, in the end, has the power to dispel all misunderstandings and barriers in the world.
Director Biography
Xixi, a young director and a current master’s student in the School of Arts and Media at Beijing Normal University. She is pursuing a degree in Drama and Film Studies, with a specialization in film and television production. Lisa Wu, a young director and a current undergraduate student in the School of Arts and Media at Beijing Normal University. She is pursuing a degree in Drama and Film Studies.
Director's Statement
<p>What happens when queer identity intersects with East Asian-style parent-child relationships? Unlike the universal intergenerational conflicts, the relationship between East Asian queer individuals and their parents points towards a more profound clash – the dismantling of traditional “heterosexual pairing – procreation” family dynamics. Reconciliation with one’s family of origin might be an inescapable issue for every queer individual in thier lifetime. Within the queer community, often due to the impact of ingrained biases or experiential chasms that cannot be bridged, many mothers and children can’t truly fathom each other. In certain instances, both parties unconsciously plunge into fear and helplessness; injured and unsure of how to confront one another, they’re unable to provide support or confidence for each other. One might feel as though roots and blood connections have been severed, adrift without an anchor. Hence, many queer children might opt to make this matter a secret, maintaining their own “home.” And due to this, the mother, who is so incredibly familiar with you, can sense that you harbor some secret that seems less than joyous. She stands outside the door, worrying about your recent state, yet she withdraws her hand, reluctant to pry. You stand inside the door, fearing that she’ll be hurt by the truth if she finds out. At times, the hesitation and distance on both sides of the door are actually rooted in reluctance, in love. Therefore, we want to create a music video for those courageous queer parents and children. The “door” symbolizes not only the generational gap but also the “closet doors” that queer individuals face from the outside world. The “door answerer” is the person who, though standing outside the door, still wishes to hear your confessions – a loved one. In the film, the actors use contemporary dance and theatrical gestures to depict the progression of the story. The four supporting actors serve as both the outward expression of the main characters’ inner emotions and a representation of the barriers in the world. Every time queer parents and children are willing to open this door and become steadfast support for one another, mutually bolstering and accompanying, it seems as if the entire universe is illuminated by their strength. The disruptions of the external world can no longer harm them.</p>
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