Desperate Whale is a surrealist experimental drama about Angelina who is a newly certified subconscious therapist, during the descending in Caroline’s subconscious space, she realises that women face implicit survival challenges due to gender issues in schools, society, and families.
Angelina is the DW024 a newly certified subconscious therapist. She descends to subconscious space of Caroline, who has already been infected by the virus. Angelina guides Caroline out of her psychological dilemma through practical actions. From the beginning, she would like to help Caroline to explain the rumour. Helping Caroline to scape by using hidden cameras to record evidence of sexual harassment by her boss. Finally, Angelina pulls Caroline out of the shadow of her mother’s distrust. Influencing Caroline’s subconscious and perceptions of past negative experiences through external factors. Angelina wants to rebuild Caroline’s connection and trust in her inner self and the real world. Unfortunately, in the final collision of consciousness, their ideologies can not be unified. This treatment has had a significant impact on Angelina’s professional beliefs and worldview.
From the general perspective, Desperate Whale is about that Angelina is the key trying to wake up girls like Caroline who have encountered hostility because of their gender. Let other female victims to realise that whether they are bullied, isolated, sexually harassed, or misunderstood by their parents, none of these things are their fault.
In recent years, an increasing number of people in society have become aware of the psychological challenges that women face due to gender-related issues. As a female director, both myself and my female friends have encountered gender discrimination and stereotypes. This film explores three typical dilemmas: the stigma of being labeled a promiscuous woman, the notion that a woman’s career success is solely due to pleasing men, and the inability to empathise with the experiences of women despite being a mother due to the subtle influence of societal norms.
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Director: Youwen Zhou
Writer: Youwen Zhou
Producer: Sihan Zhang
First Assistant Director: Jingye Xu
Director of Photography: Yuanxu Li
Production Designer: Mohan Liu
Editor: Yicong Qiu
Costume Designer: Mohan Liu, Jing Liang
Production Assistant: Jingru Chen
Cameraman: Jianzhen Cong, Lyuhao Zhou
Gaffer: Draco Bao, Lyuhao Zhou, Jianzhen Cong
Assistant Camera: Lyuhao Zhou, Xinyu Chen
Lyuhao Zhou: Best Boy
Sound Recorder: Sinan Wang, Hanxuan Chen, Jingye Xu, Rongxin Kang, Sihan Zhang, Yicong Qiu, Qianwen Li
Still Photographer: Hanyang Zhang, Yue Wang, Zihan Wang
Make-up Artist: Jing Kong, Mohan Liu
Clapper: Qianying Shen