As part of the special program “China New Talents” of the Interfilm International Short Film Festival, “Summer Attic” by Wenting Gao was one of seven entries. The festival took place online on Sooner from November 11 to December 13, 2020. Featuring a selection of student documentaries and feature films, it provided a glimpse into current Chinese film production.
At first glance, Wenting Gao is ongoing an unusual education for a filmmaker. She is a student at the University of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Nanjing. But basically, elements that could be related to an interest in space travel do appear in her film. The metropolis of Shenzhen, where the action takes place, functions like a black hole. People come here from all directions of the country to work and survive. The opportunities are numerous. A lot of personnel is needed, whether on one of the many construction sites, in a store or as a nanny.
The protagonists in “Summer Attic” are Sue, who responsibly takes care of a small child; Chao, who works as a clerk in a bookstore, and Sue's father, who worked on a construction site until he had an accident. With the help of Chao, Sue seeks out the construction company to make them take responsibility for her father's death. Despite her persistence, she achieves nothing. Her father might as well never have existed, so little value does his life seem to have had.
A tender romance is brewing between Sue and Chao, but Chao makes it clear that it can only be temporary. As soon as he has earned enough money, he will go back to the province where he came from and marry there. First, he has to prove himself in the city. The city is another protagonist in “Summer Attic.” Here you can become successful or you fail.
Migration, sacrifice and loneliness are the main themes of the film, captured by Wenting Gao with sparsely lit images through the cinematography of Chris Song. Song is also responsible for the editing, defining a rather quiet narrative rhythm. This opposes the fast pace of city life and gives the protagonists and their worries the space they need.
Huisi Zhuang impressively embodies a young woman who is both sad and proud. With a cautious and sensitive performance, she gives her character an elegance and power that make the film. Within fifteen minutes, “Summer Attic” manages to address relevant social issues and at the same time convince with a consistent visual language.
