By NYAFF UNCAGED
Get ready for another episode of UNCAGED, the official podcast of The New York Asian Film Festival! This week, we are focusing on the 2023 Chinese fantasy film, "Flaming Cloud," which premiered at this year’s edition of the festival. NYAFF programmer Karen Severns is joined by writer-director Liu Siyi to discuss the production of her striking feature film debut.
"Flaming Cloud" follows the whimsical journey of a boy named Sangui, who discovers that anyone he kisses goes right to sleep. Determined to find a cure and to reunite with his childhood sweetheart, Sangui’s odyssey is enhanced through dream-like cinematography that evokes classic storytelling of fairytales and fantasies. Taking on grand themes such as social stigma and the power of true love to conquer all, the film also features some dark touches for a surprisingly grown-up morality tale of magic and romance.
In the Q&A, writer-director Liu Siyi talks about how her own insomnia led to the film’s initial drafts. Listen now to find out what it looks like when Disney classics meet Chinese folklore.
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