When The Tide Rises
2020–2021/Short
Producer
An independent short exploring queer family, intimacy, and social pressure in early-2000s China.When the Tide Rises is an intimate, low-budget independent short that interweaves LGBTQ+ storytelling with Chinese cultural context. Set in early-2000s China, it follows two women who adopt a young girl and must navigate love, family, and social judgment in a society that still struggles to accept them. The film captures the subtle tension between tenderness and defiance — between being seen and staying safe. As producer, I guided the film from concept to completion with a lean team and limited resources.
Award
Winner — Best New Director, Tokyo International Short Film Festival
Winner — Best Director, Seoul International Short Film Festival
Winner — Best Narrative, Fine Cut Film Festival
Official Selection, Beijing Queer Film Festival
Official Selection, Cannes Short Film Festival
Official Selection, Taiwan International Queer Film Festival
As producer, I led fundraising, production coordination, and festival strategy. The project was financed through grassroots crowdfunding and filmed across multiple cities during a period of heightened uncertainty.Despite its small scale, the film traveled widely on the international festival circuit, receiving directing and narrative awards and being selected by major queer and independent film festivals, affirming the global resonance of its intimate, locally rooted storytelling.As my first small-budget indie film project, this film represents the kind of work I value most — culturally specific, emotionally honest, and quietly groundbreaking.