The Liu Shiming Art Foundation hosted a screening of three short films—Ume or (The Will to Fly Blind), Muted, and Blue Desert—on October 5, 2024, followed by a discussion led by curator and writer Hindley Wang. This event is part of the Foundation’s ongoing programming, aligned with the themes explored in their current exhibition “Half the Sky: Works of Liu Shiming”, which focuses on women’s roles in society and art.
The films explore narratives where women are active protagonists, grappling with personal growth and societal pressures. Sam Kumiko Sheridan’s Ume or (The Will to Fly Blind) follows a 17-year-old Japanese American girl facing the emotional complexities of abortion. Michelle Ma’s Blue Desert provides a reflective piece exploring a daughter’s relationship with her mother, combining dreams and memory. Chris Zou’s Muted tells the story of a Chinese American high schooler under academic pressure, navigating her strained relationship with her mother.
The post-screening panel, moderated by Hindley Wang, touched on themes of motherhood, language, and cultural identity. The filmmakers shared how their personal experiences shaped their films, focusing on the absence of maternal figures and the complex interplay between language and emotion in cross-cultural settings.
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Below is the transcript of the panel discussion.
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