Lianlian Shen, a graduate of the MA Cinematic Aesthetics program at Suzhou University in 2014, has worked as an in-depth news reporter, advertisement salesperson, and English course consultant. She also served as a judge for the Beijing College Student Film Festival and as a critic at Suzhou Daily newspaper. Shen has demonstrated strong insight into both the symptoms of large-scale societal changes and the existential struggles of individuals in modern times. Her 2019 short “Apologizing” was selected for the Atlantic International Film Festival. Her first documentary, “Mask,” is currently in post-production. “Chang’E,” her second feature-length drama, explores the life dilemmas of a suburban Chinese woman and has been officially selected by the Lucca Film Festival and FICBC. The title is adapted from the ancient Chinese myth of the goddess Chang’e, known for the tale “Chang’e Flying to the Moon.” In Chinese, “E” also means “a fine woman.”
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Inspired by the real-life Wang Xiaoxiang, a 55-year-old machine operator from Shen’s hometown, the story centers on a character who shares both her name and circumstances. She lives in a rural Chinese town with her idling bachelor son. The two frequently bicker over his refusal to get married, as he is more interested in writing fantasy novels than pursuing a practical future. Xiaoxiang’s monotonous routine is disrupted when she meets a man who makes his living by arranging “Zaku,” a local death ceremony. As she eventually finds herself posing as the goddess Chang’e in a shop distributing pamphlets, she grows closer to him. But is that enough to lift her out of her stagnant reality?
Shen intentionally grounds the narrative and Xiaoxiang’s world in stark mundanity, portraying the reality faced by many middle-aged factory workers. Her daily life involves repetitively operating machinery, drained of vitality, and collapsing after work on a cold couch, numbly scrolling on her phone. Her absent husband and emotionally distant, disappointing son add further weight to her emotional and physical fatigue, justifying her irritability and weariness.
However, Shen breaks this monotony with sequences of magical realism. Dreams begin to surface, and a symbolic parallel between the protagonist and the goddess Chang’e emerges. These elements bring in surreal and metaphor-laden visuals: a rabbit becomes a confidant, a chicken-snatching scene veers into horror in one of the most disturbing moments, and dream sequences drift between the mystical and the mundane.
At times, the symbolism leans toward the vague, and there are moments where Shen seems to lose control over pacing, particularly in overly extended scenes. That said, as a debut, such issues are expected and do not significantly undermine the overall impact. In fact, the final behind-the-scenes coda adds a compelling meta-layer to the narrative and enriches the protagonist’s characterization, revealing that her life is not without nuance or color.
The casting of non-professional actors, especially Wang Xiaoxiang herself, lends the story a raw, documentary-like authenticity. This realism is a core strength of the work’s aesthetic. Scenes like the early meal between Xiaoxiang and her son feel almost entirely improvised, yet they resonate deeply. Often, the emotional truth lies in what remains unspoken.
There is a rawness in “Chang’E” that is not always intentional, with several scenes that could benefit from more polish. Still, the movie stands out for its rare, realistic portrayal of the lives of middle-aged women in China. It succeeds not only as a social statement but also as a resonant and thoughtful drama, one that is well worth watching.
