X-LOVE (2015): Short Film

Hey guys! Today I wanted to share with you a short film I found on YouTube while waiting for a file to upload to Google Drive. Yes that’s how it happened. Lately I’ve been watching a lot of Asian-type short films like this one, I don’t know why but I’m hooked (sorry not sorry).  This is a Chinese short film created by director Wang Jiawen and produced by the L app X 1101 Film Studio. The story is so simple, so cute and sad. Since I’m taking a script writing class, this helped me get more perspective and also showed me how a short film can tell so much in a short time span.

The story shows a tomboy named Cooka (Cooka Wu) who is getting ready, wearing a tuxedo, to meet up with Tina (Tina Gao) who is getting her make-up done. Then we are taken back a year before, where Cooka works for ( I think a publicity agency as far as I understood), there Tina shows up not looking anywhere near like the flawless girl we see in the beginning but rather as a girl with thick glasses, long messy hair and not so stylish. When she tried to audition to be a model, she is rejected because of her appearance and silly behavior. Cooka feels sympathetic towards her, so she decides to help Tina get hired by giving her a makeover. Thanks to this Tina becomes a successful model, landing many photo sessions with Cooka guiding and supporting her along the way.  One day Cooka randomly asks Tina to marry her, to which she accepts. Then we are taken back to the present, where Tina is waiting at a boutique wearing her bridal gown and Cooka appears mesmerized by how beautiful Tina looks. Suddenly a young man named Jemmy (Jemmy Kim) appears and kisses Tina, so then we realize that the girls weren’t really getting married and that Cooka was actually just going to participate at Tina’s wedding. After accidentally breaking a wine glass Cooka runs away from the boutique in tears. Then we finally get to see how Jemmy and Tina met, all the little details that were never shown are finally revealed, even realizing that Cooka’s proposal began with ”If I were a man…” as if meant to be taken metaphorically. As Cooka cries she receives a text message from a girl named Yumi ( Dola Chen) asking if she was ok. When Cooka turns she sees Yumi standing beside her, since she saw Cooka run away she followed along while wearing her bridesmaid dress. The way both girls look at each other suggests that maybe they will give each other a chance.

I love the photography of this short film (you can tell by the many screenshots I took, I feel I could use them as my desktop background), the subtle colors used but not in an exaggerated way but more in a sophisticated and fashionable form, the music that blended well, I loved the outfits and the environment where everything was shot (im a sucker for fashion and beautiful locations). I like how Cooka helped Tina when the rest of the world thought she would never have a chance as a model and how Tina was very grateful for their unconditional friendship. There’s a few things I learned from watching this movie:

1) Just because the person you love doesn’t return your feelings, doesn’t mean there isn’t someone else that would love to be with you. Maybe you haven’t met them yet or maybe you have but they are super scared of telling you. Just wait and you might be surprised the way a person can mean so much to you, they way they can change your life, and how devoted they can be to making you happy.

2) Follow your dreams, you can make them become reality. Especially with a little help from a fairy godmother aka your best friend or a kind-hearted spirit who is willing to believe in you.

3) Love yourself the way you are, don’t wish to be something else for someone because if they really love you they will accept you, boy or girl.

Well this is all for today. Sorry this wasn’t the best, but finals are getting to me. I do hope I awakened your curiosity for this movie. Remember love is in the unexpected places and with the unexpected people, if it’s not with who you want it might mean there’s someone ten times better waiting for you out there.

Have a nice week guys! Bye!

I rate this movie 9/10 photoshoots.