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A new Chinese film drawing inspiration from genuine personal experience is set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival’s Horizons section. Directors Michelle Zhou and Chun Yu created “Big Little Things,” a drama exploring lesbian identity and family acceptance, after the project was initially selected for Venice Days before receiving the higher-profile invitation.
The narrative stems from Yu’s real experience four and a half years ago when her family discovered she was in a same-sex relationship with Zhou, despite her initial attempts to present Zhou as merely a colleague. The revelation fractured family relationships, though Zhou and Yu channeled this painful episode into their filmmaking. The story examines how societal pressure and cultural expectations within northeastern China often force LGBTQ+ individuals to conceal their identities, sometimes through practices like lavender marriages.
A remarkable development occurred during production when Yu’s own father, Hai, agreed to portray the father character in the film. Through performing an emotionally charged reconciliation scene, Hai found catharsis, later explaining to his daughter that he accepted the role to process his own unresolved feelings and provide healing for their fractured relationship.
Both creators are pursuing additional projects. Zhou is developing “Another Stranger,” a family drama rooted in her experiences being stranded in Thailand with her cousin during pandemic lockdowns. Yu is working on her directorial debut, a diaspora narrative spanning Los Angeles and a European village, currently seeking international production partners.
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Originally reported by Variety →
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