ACF
Asian Cinema Fund
Post-Production Fund
2017 Post-Production Fund
LIST Silent Mist
| Category | Asian Project |
|---|---|
| Project | Silent Mist |
| Director | ZHANG Miaoyan |
| Country | China, France |
| Director's Profile | ZHANG Miaoyan was born in Manchuria and earned an MFA degree at UC Berkeley. He is also an oil painter. His first feature Xiaolin Xiaoli (2007) was invited to the Busan International Film Festival, Black Movie-Geneva International Independent Film Festival (Audience Award), and Tiburon International Film Festival (Federico Fellini Award). Black Blood (2011) received Hubert Bals Fund and was premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam (NETPAC Award), screened in Cannes ACID and Saint Petersburg International Film Festival (Best Film), and was released in France in 2011. A Corner of Heaven (2014) received Hubert Bals fund and ACF fund. Premiered in Busan International Film Festival, the film was invited to International Film Festival Rotterdam, Vancouver International Film Festival, and Tarkovsky Film Festival (Grand Prix). It was also nominated for APSA UNESCO Award. It was released in France in 2015 and broadcasted by AMC/Sundance Channel. Silent Mist (2017) received ACF’s Post-Production Fund. |
- Synopsis
- In the darkness of the night, an ominous blanket of fog falls upon a peaceful canal town in Southern China. Shadows scatter along the damp walls of the streets in the picturesque and seemingly tranquil village. An old man arrives in the village and wanders through the winding narrow paths. Soon after their arrival, mysterious incidents occur. A rapist lurks in the shadows of the night, hiding in the mist, searching for a prey. Schoolgirl Li is his first victim. Meanwhile, a young couple tries to make a living with their tiny street restaurant. While the rapist operates under the cover of the mist, a fat, wealthy and influential businessman openly pollutes their lives with fear and uncertainty. The villagers seem unable to cope with both the open and the hidden dangers they all face from their morally corrupted compatriots.
- Director's Note
- Silent Mist is loosely based on true events that happened in a small village on a waterfront town in China. The serial rapist in question was never caught and the incident was quickly glossed over. Through Silent Mist, I hope to portray China in an unconventional light by emphasizing some issues China is currently facing. It seems as if the newly-found freedom is predominantly used for individual gain. I view the rapes in Silent Mist as a symbol of this individual ‘freedom’ acquired at the cost of the innocent other. The main difference between Silent Mist and my previous films is that I will focus on more than one character. I will also apply genre-specific elements: Silent Mist will be a social drama with thriller elements. I will emphasize these elements by adding sequences from the rapist’s perspective.
- Festivals
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2017 Busan International Film Festival - A Window on Asian Cinema
2018 International Film Festival Rotterdam
2018 Pune International Film Festival
2018 Prague International Film Festival
2018 Istanbul Film Festival
2018 Goteborg Film Festival
2018 Munich International Film Festival
- Still Cut
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