Weather Forecast
Film & Animation – 20 min
Xinxin lost his cat before the typhoon, but his grandma tells him that the person who loves each other will meet again. One night, attracted by the sound of a music box in the stairwell, he spots a strange man smoking. He throws candy at the man to stop him smoking. The next day, Xinxin and the man meet again in the stairwell. After some conversation, he inadvertently passes on the concept that his Grandma told him to the man. Soon after, Xinxin’s cat comes back to him, and he posts a note on the stairwell’s window telling the man this good news.
Director’s statement:
In the story, because the cat was lost, the grandma told Xinxin that “those who love each other will meet again”. In the random dialogue between XinXin and the man, this truth is unconsciously conveyed, and its degree of inspiration for Xinxin and the man must be different. But the dialogue between people is so magical. The man come out of his emotional confusion by relying on Xin Xin to blurt out such a sentence. If the conversation is switched to two adults, the effect may be greatly reduced. The film has a happy ending, the lost cat comes home, and the man’s state of mind is improved. Maybe in reality, the lost cat can never be found again, and the man will not be enlightened by a child’s words. But I believe that such moments will exist. Kindness among strangers can be passed on and transformed. The idea that the story wants to convey is also my life principle: “Just go with the flow, hold on to your faith and things will go your way.”.
In the filming and set design of the film, although in Shanghai, I deliberately avoided the high-rise buildings in the bustling city. It creates a realistic urban atmosphere and tries to blur the sense of boundaries that Shanghai brings to people. The furnishing of the old furniture in the old house comes from my own feelings. Every time I go back to my grandma’s house, I see old furniture and I feel a sense of security in time.
Telling such a story from the perspective of a child is to hope that adults will let go of their lofty identities, age and experience may allow us to have more life experience, but also a lot less to receive the fairy-tale “truth, goodness, beauty” tentacles.