Canadian Premiere
A Uyghur father living in southern China accidentally finds an ornate letter to his teen daughter, he assumes it is from a boyfriend but he can’t read Mandarin. This is a surprisingly lovely film about a father struggling to understand his daughters who grew up in a multi-cultured environment while trying to do right by them. What is impressive is how fluidly it plays with intergenerational and intercultural dynamics, without ever pandering or preaching. This understated tale about familial issues and language barriers features some really nuanced performances, most notably the excellent father actor who expresses frustration, alienation and dawning comprehension without ever pushing it too far. It’s a simple, revealing story about a generational clash caused by traditional authoritarian attitudes and poor communication.
Community Partner
Ablikim Ablat, Marhaba Mahmut, Halisa Abdusalam
China
2022
In Mandarin and Uyghur with English subtitles
Indigenous & Community Access
Credits
Producer
Ru Yu, Lu Ka Wang
Screenwriter
Tian Lan
Cinematography
Haoran Guo
Editor
Heng Liu
Original Music
Ziyang Wen
Production Design
Haiyong Ao
Director
Tian Lan
Lan Tian is an independent Chinese filmmaker who graduated from the Communication University of China. In 2016 and 2017, he shot and edited the behind-the-scenes documentary of feature film The Sun Also Rises by renowned Chinese director Jiang Wen. As an ethnic minority (she people of Fujian Province), Lan Tian seeks in his films to investigate and portray the living conditions of various Chinese ethnic groups and their cultural integrations. Southern Afternoon is his debut short film.