Gonella Productions

LANGUAGE: Chinese (Sichuanese dialect) | SUBTITLES: English

Genre: Drama, Psychological thriller, Mystery, LGBTIQ+
Running Time: 19 min. 14 sec.
Year of production: 2015

SYNOPSIS

The film “Floating Melon” is a fiction film, but inspired by characters that are present in the Chinese contemporary society. It reflects, with a realistic perspective in stylistic and narrative terms, the story of a young guy that cannot react in a situation that is beyond his imagination. He needs to take a decision that risk his future for the consequences of the strict rules of the society. He is surrounded by the confusion present on some members of the young gay Chinese community, with no moral referents apart from the official doctrine. The representation of the characters is very close to reality and their reactions towards the situations reflect the Chinese society of these days. Also it represents this invisible community, the LGBT, that it is not as persecuted as in other countries, but for family pressures and the lack of protective laws, it need to be self protected. This lack of referents make for some people to take inusual and in occasion dangerous routes to build their relationships. “Floating Melon” is a short film filmed in Sichuan (China), using the local dialect and the mandarin, and co-directed by the Spaniard Roberto F. Canuto and the Chinese Xu Xiaoxi.

PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION

Production Company: Almost Red Prod. (China)
Film exports/World sales: Gonella Productions (non exclusive)

CAST

Vincent CHEN XI
Celia YU YINMENG
WEN SIRUI
XU XU

MAIN CREDITS

Director: Roberto F. CANUTO & XU Xiaoxi
Screenwriter: Roberto F. CANUTO & XU Xiaoxi
Producer: Leng Zhiwen
Director of Photography: Guo Yong
Sound: Zhou Zuhua
Editing: Roberto F. CANUTO & XU Xiaoxi
Sound Editing: Roberto F. CANUTO
Music Composer: Andrea CENTAZZO

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Genre: Drama, LGBTIQ+
Sub-genre: Mystery, Psychological thriller
Language: Chinese (Sichuanese dialect)
Country of origin: China & Spain
Year of production: 2015
Total running time: 19 min. 14 sec.
Shooting format: Digital HD
Color type: Color
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Sound format: Stereo

AWARDS

XV Avilés Acción Film Festival 2016 (Spain) – Audience Award Best Short Film
III Festival de Cine Asturianu de Proaza 2016 (Asturian Film Festival) – Best Short Film Audience Award.
III Festival de Cine Asturianu de Proaza 2016 (Asturian Film Festival) - Best Cinematography (Guo Yong).

FESTIVAL SELECTIONS

53rd Gijon International Film Festival (Asturias, Spain)
21st LesGaiCineMad, Madrid (Spain)
13th Zinegoak, Bilbao International GLT Film Festival (Basque Country, Spain)
15th Avilés Acción Film Festival (Spain)
19th Roze Filmdagen, Amsterdam LGBTQ Int. Film Festival (The Netherlands)
17th Queer Film Festival Mezipatra, Prague and Brno (Czech Republic)
18th Flimmer Film Festival in Norrkoping (Sweden)
7th D'un Bord a l'autre, Orleans (France)
7th Queer Film Festival at Oldenburg (Germany)
12th C The Film at Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland)
21st Portobello Film Festival in London (England)
2nd Scottish Queer International Film Festival in Glasgow (Scotland)
5th No Gloss Film Festival at Leeds, England (United Kingdom)
11th Serile Filmului Gay (Rumania)
3rd Taratsa International Film Festival, Thessaloniki (Greece)
2nd International Boat of Culture (Poland)
3rd Kreivės / Vilnius Queer Festival (Lithuania)
3rd Equality Festival of Kiev (Ukraine)
16th Korea Queer Film Festival (South Korea)
7th Kashish, Mumbai Int. Queer Film Festival (India)
1st Harmless Hugs, Delhi Int. Queer Theater and Film Festival (India)
2nd Minikino Film Week, Bali (Indonesia)
Shujingtang Alley Art Space, Chengdu (China)
24 Festival Mix Brasil de Cultura y Diversidad (Brasil)
10th For Rainbow Film Festival of Sexual Diversity at Fortaleza (Brazil)
3rd Bogota Human Rights International Film Festival (Colombia)
V Oftalmica Festival de Cine Independiente, Veracruz (Mexico)
13th Outfest Peru, Lima LGBT Int. Film Festival (Peru)
9th Festival de Cine Diversidad Sexual y DDHH de La Paz (Bolivia)
9th Cine MOVILH, Festival de cine Lgbtii de Chile 2016, Santiago de Chile (Chile)
12th LesBiGayTrans, Asuncion International Film Festival of Asunción (Paraguay)
1st Festival Inter. de Cortometrajes Flor Azul, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
3rd Shortcup, World Film Festival “Copa Dos Cortas” (Brazil)
6th Rio Gender & Sexuality Film Festival (Brazil)
1st Ekurhuleni International Film Festival (South Africa)
16th Film Festival of Sant Joan d'Alacant (Spain)
12th Andalesgai, LGBT Int. Film Festival of Andalucia, Seville (España)
11th Zinentiendo, Muestra Int. de Cine LGTBQI de Zaragoza (España)
20th La Fila, Short Film Festival of Valladolid (Spain)
3rd Asturian Film Festival of Proaza (Spain)