Doors 7:30p
Program 8:00p

UnionDocs
352 Onderdonk Ave
Ridgewood, NY

We’re delighted to co-present an evening of cinema and conversation with Nooks & Crannies (犄角旮旯)!

Inspired by Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” this carefully curated collection highlights the work of three Chinese filmmakers, each exploring the essence of womanhood at different stages of life. There are three incredible films on offer – Manting 曼婷 by Shuyao Chen 陈力格, Girl of Wind 吹梦无踪 by Zhiying Deng 邓芷莹 and Three Girls 三个女孩 by Xinying Lao 劳馨莹.

Through these three distinct yet interwoven stories, we witness the raw and unfiltered experiences of womanhood: a young girl navigating friendship and conflict with unexpected maturity, a woman forging her own path through unconventional work, and an elderly couple sharing quiet moments of tenderness and devotion.

Following the screening, join us for a post-screening conversation with the filmmakers! Don’t miss it!

Program

Manting 曼婷 by Shuyao Chen 陈力格

15min, 2023, China/USA

Manting (ZHANG Yijing), a Chinese woman in her early 60s, reconnects with her lesbian lover (ZHANG Min) from adolescence. After a class reunion, they spend a night together, wandering through the city and reliving memories.

Girl of Wind 吹梦无踪 by Zhiying Deng 邓芷莹

38min, 2023, China

This is a story about Yang Yang, a lonely deaf girl who’s finding friends, and about the director, Yuen Nanhsi, who meets her by chance. Their lives intertwine with each other, revealing the difficulties the youth face and their longing for the future.

Three Girls 三个女孩 by Xinying Lao 劳馨莹

12 min, 2024, China

While two girls were playing in the neighborhood, they had a small disagreement. Their parents stepped in to help but ended up arguing themselves. Meanwhile, the girls had already made up and were now joining forces to comfort another young girl who was struggling with her parents’ divorce.

Program Duration: 65 mins

Bios

Born in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, Shuyao Chen 陈力格 completed her graduate studies in film at New York University. Her past short films were selected by festivals worldwide including Palm Springs ShortFest, HollyShorts, St. Louis International Film Festival, Leeds International Film Festival, etc. She currently works as a freelance screenwriter/director in China.

Zhiying Deng 邓芷莹 is an independent documentary filmmaker who works in between China and New York. She is particularly good at cross-cultural filming as she has filmed in more than 20 countries, and her work were released on various platform such as NHK and Tencent Video, with different awards. Her latest producing work ‘Girl Of Wind’ is officially nominated for the “Best Short Documentary” in the 60th Golden Horse Film Festival.

Xinying Lao 劳馨莹 is a director, writer, and editor. She is an MFA candidate in the Graduate Film program at NYU. With a background in documentary and journalism, Xinying has been exploring diverse stories of people. Her films, often gaze through a child’s perspective, deconstruct the intricate layers of adulthood. Her second-year film project at NYU, Xiaohui and His Cows was awarded Special Mention at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.