Grand Prize winner
The Black Box
About the film
The film
A Frenchman and a Chinese girl fall in love at the peak of the pandemic, told through dreams, reality and her fantasies.
The Black Box tells the story of Thibaut, a Frenchman, and Sai, a Chinese girl, who fall in love during the peak of the Covid-19 crisis. Despite harsh quarantine restrictions, they decide to meet, with Thibaut enduring 28 days of quarantine. Their relationship is narrated through dreams, reality and Sai's fantasies.
Sai describes herself as a black box, the memory of their relationship and of the moments that never happened. Thibaut collects X-rays of his suitcase, Sai is fascinated by black boxes. The film explores the fragility and indestructibility of relationships, memory and love.
Director statement
A poetic exploration of love and memories.
Through the story of Thibaut and Sai, the aim was to capture the fragility and resilience of human relationships and the power of imagination and dreams, and to reflect on borders, isolation and technology and how they shape our lives and emotions.
Credits
- Produced by
- Studio Supreme
- Director, executive producer
- Olivier Hero Dressen
- Screenwriter
- Francesco Fioretto
- Cast
- Xinwen Cui, Thibaut Royer
- Cinematographer
- Kirtan Hummelen
- Shot in
- Shanghai, China
Experimental romance
An irregular narrative structure blending dream, reality and fantasy. Vintage lenses from the 70s and 80s, a 4:3 frame, contrasting colours and textures. Two first-time leads who do not speak each other's language, with scenes built on improvisation.
Made across borders
Produced and shot in Shanghai with local and international talent. Cinematography by Kirtan Hummelen, edited in Spain, graded in Bangkok.
Stills
25 images
