Damp Season
2020 Jeonju International Film Festival - Grand Prize, International Competition
The ‘damp’ feel is a common weather phenomenon during spring in southern China. The wet and mouldy environment makes people upset and helpless. For the working class living in the urban villages of Shenzhen, the economic and mental stresses that they have to face are another kind of ‘damp season’.
‘You can’t tell the feeling of being wrapped up by steam, but it’s pretty painful.’ Damp Season took place at Shenzhen during the time between spring and summer. Young couple Xiaodong and Dujuan were in an alienated relationship and each had his / her own affairs. Meanwhile, teacher Long, who lived in an environment with constant temperature and humidity but sunshine, suffered from a kind of unbearable lightness. Every character in the film longed for freedom, love and being loved. Yet they were all alone and hoped to find the strengths that they did not possess in other people
Director: GAO Ming
Cast: HUANG Yucong, CHEN Xuanyu, LIANG Long, Phoebe LIN
Director Bio:
GAO Ming
Originally a graphic designer, finished the documentary Paigu in 2005. 15 years later, he finally sourced the funding for his debut feature film and made Damp Season. In the film, Gao continued to express his observations and thoughts about Shenzhen, where he lived, through a subtle, wet and cold style. His close-range shooting approach could make the audience uncomfortable. Receiving great critical acclaim, the film was also nominated for the Young Cinema Award at the 44th Hong Kong International Film Festival.