20 Riddle Director’s Statement China / France Drama / HD / Mandarin / 120 mins ZHOU Hao Director: ZHOU Hao Producers: Philippe BOBER, LOU Ye HAF Goals: Funds, Co-producers, Sales agents, Pre-sales Budget: US$600,000 Secured Budget: [•••] Director’s Filmography: 2014 The Night An underappreciated writer, some subversive characters, a mysterious gender shifting game and a tantalizing building named “Las Vegas” share a story in a mystical environment amid more baffling matters… Synopsis In order to taste the “flavour of the exquisite songstress’s voice”, a gentleman boldly kisses a reluctant singer. Her rejection of this kiss is like the rejection of the “Las Vegas” building, a simulation telling the writer: come back to reality. But which reality? The songstress eventually decides to escape the story and enter the real world, inside “Las Vegas”, where she losses herself… The story seems to progress up to this point; however, Narcissus is totally unsatisfied. The reason is that the end does not have to be meet audience expectations. Narcissus creates her own ending. The writer comes back to his real life, but is it reality? From this illusion to the real world, the mist has never dissipated; life seems to be an unsolved riddle… I want to explore a dilemma that everyone faces: disorientation. The “Las Vegas” building is a misplaced landmark in the city. Its golden appearance makes its prominent position visible. It becomes a powerful and intransigent sign of a material city. In this place, the songstress is struggling to pursue her vocation. Perhaps she not only fulfills her dream but also wanders into a hidden hell. Conceivably, in another world, we can come back and act out our desired character. We can become confused, live without stellar fame, meticulously select a leaf for our loved one, enjoy wanton acts ignoring the rules, look for enlightenment or pursue obscurity, recite romantic poetry and let our inner being express itself aloud. In this imaginary land, where there is such gender confusion, regardless of morality, is one’s strength must come forth to keep desires from controlling our lives. Only then, there can be reality and mystery exist simultaneously. Director ZHOU Hao ZHOU Hao, (born 1992, Chongqing), had his first feature, The Night, nominated for the Best First Feature Film in the 64th Berlin Film Festival, Panorama. The Night also was selected to participate in Hong Kong, Sarajevo and the 2014 Nara International Film Festival, where he won the Golden Shika Award for the Best Feature. Producers Philippe BOBER Philippe BOBER has a reputation of discovering and nurturing new talent. He was involved in the early films by Lars VON TRIER, LOU Ye, and LOU Ye LOU Ye, born in Shanghai, 1965. His Suzhou River, Purple Butterfly, Summer Palace, Spring Fever, Love & Bruises, Mystery and Blind Massage have been selected by Rotterdam, the Asian Film Awards, Cannes, Venice Film and the Berlinale and have won various prizes. Production Company Next Way Film Studios Founded in 2012 by ZHOU Hao who then directed two short films: Addiction and Lust (2013). In 2014, its first feature film The Night, marked ZHOU’s film industry debut and participated in many international film festivals. Coproduction Office Founded by Philippe BOBER in 1987, Coproduction Office has a reputation of discovering and nurturing new talent. It has produced and sold internationally daring and engaging award-winning films by directors with a strong personal vision. Dream Factory Dream Factory is a film production company founded by NAI An in 1998 that dedicates itself to discovering, cultivating and helping promising Chinese young directors. Contact ZHOU Hao Dream Factory A2-3, Qi Ke Shu Innovation Park, Jiu Xian Qiao, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100016, China Tel: +86-1064189469 Email: [email protected] HONG KONG - ASIA FILM FINANCING FORUM 2015 HONG KONG - ASIA FILM FINANCING FORUM 2015 90 From that point on, a new story emerges. The writer wants to break with stark reality, so he gives up his own gender identity to become, in this new story, a magnificent but unscrupulous, audacious woman: Narcissus. She starts to rob people in association with a hooligan, while also planning to make him experience the pleasures of the female gender. The woman then regains her gender as a man. The hooligan, as a result, becomes involved and expresses his lust… Narcissus enlightens the hooligan with a truth: not every vase will be shattered when it is thrown. What is her meaning? Like us, we will not easily be defeated by reality. The songstress is now singing: “Go to hell, you have lived enough.” The lights of the city illuminate the smiling heroes but not the ordinary people. The songstress laughs while she plays around the fountain. In the process of looking for enlightenment, she finally comes back to herself. Riddle evokes the efforts to find real life. Life is a riddle. To stand apart from it, though, we sacrifice our nature, lose our own identity and confuse reality and idealism. What is reality, what is fiction? Even your gender is only a false impression imposed on the human body. Carlos REYGADAS. BOBER has worked since their feature film debuts with Roy ANDERSON, Jessica HAUSNER, Kornél MUNDRUCZO, Ulrich SEIDL, Michelangelo FRAMMARTINO, and Ruben OSTLUND. 91