Whispers in May

Director CHEN Dongnan | Producer ZHAO Jia, OH Heejung | Netherlands | Film 90min, TV 52min | 4K | Color

Project Description

Logline

Qinghua, a Yi ethnic teen, sets out on a road trip with her two besties to find a skirt for the menarche rite of passage.

Synopsis

The film follows 14-year-old Qinghua, whose first menstruation sets off a journey of self-discovery. In the Yi traditions of Liangshan Mountain in southwest China, this milestone requires a new skirt for her menarche ceremony, marking her transition into adulthood and the potential for an arranged marriage. With her parents working in distant cities and her grandfather recently deceased, Qinghua hides her menstruation, relying on two close friends to help find the needed skirt.

Grounded in real experiences, the film embraces spontaneity as the girls and the filmmaker embark on a road trip. This journey goes beyond finding a skirt, merging reality and imagination to explore adolescence, cultural traditions, and friendship. Whispers in May captures the resilience and spirit of youth as Qinghua bids farewell to her girlhood.

Director's Statement

I met Qinghua while traveling deep into the Liangshan Mountain. In her school essay, she wrote, "I have made many wishes, but none of them have come true."

In Liangshan, many girls are left behind as their parents work in city factories. Quite often, parents marry off their daughters soon after their first periods to obtain dowry money, which can amount to staggering sums, despite the prevalent poverty in the region. Qinghua yearns to explore unseen places and experience new things, filled with boundless aspirations for the future. However, surrounded by the towering mountains, she also feels the limitations imposed upon her possibilities. 

Discovering Qinghua's secret made me realize that her time to officially transition into womanhood is rapidly approaching. So we got on the roadtrip, towards the high of the mountains, towards the unknown. I hope the film not only witnesses the teenage quest for self-discovery but also uncovers how women navigating harsh realities can discover inner strength through the transformative power of filmmaking.

	A documentary filmmaker based in Shenzhen. Her debut film, Sound of Vision, an experimental short, was nominated for an Emmy. Singing in the Wilderness is selected by many international film festivals, and won special jury prizes at LAAPFF. Her Latest Short 14 Paintings, premieres at Sundance Intl. Film Festival, Intl. Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam and Xining First.
Director  CHEN Dongnan
	A Chinese-Dutch film producer based in Amsterdam. Founded Muyi Film in 2012 and cofounded Silk Road Film Salon. In 2023, An Asian Ghost Story (executive producer) was the winner at New:Vision competition of CPH-DOX. In 2021, A Marble Travelogue is selected for Intl. Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam Frontlight and I’m So Sorry (co-producer) for Cannes film festival.			Heejung Oh has been producing creative documentaries that have paid off in theatrical releases as well as overseas film festivals. Produced and co-produced works include Devi (2024), Nam Jun Paik: Moon is the Oldest TV (2023) and Delivery Dancer’s Sphere (2023).
Producer  ZHAO Jia		Producer OH Heejung