NARRATIVE SHORT
JUNE 8, 2021
CHN | 10 minutes | 2019
Drama short film directed by Justin Zheng
Starring Xiaoqing Zhang, Andy Teng
Watch the trailer
Do as I Say
Chinese title: 听话
Tension boils over between a young boy and his mother while he struggles with homework.
Justin Zheng’s Do as I Say is a dramatic look at a Chinese mother’s strict upbringing of her son. Parents want the best for their kids, but often don’t realize that their expression of what they think is love can be stifling and traumatic.
The mother, Mrs. Lee (Xiaoqing Zhang), has a no-nonsense parenting style, keeping a hawk’s eye on her son and making sure he does his homework the right way. Her son, Maomao (Andy Teng), however, has an artistic side and would rather be drawing than doing his math homework. The grandma (Qian Luo) tries to mediate tensions, but is often dismissed by Mrs. Lee. When Mrs. Lee and Maomao cannot decide on how x should be written for his math homework, tensions hit a boiling point.
The stillness of the cinematography allows for us to observe the dynamics and tension between characters happening within the frames. With a solid premise and a precise editing, Do as I Say depicts well the blurred lines between discipline and love.
Do as I Say is one of the many great projects shared with CineAsian Films through our submissions process. If you’d like to join them, submit your film.
Credits
Director, Writer, Editor: Justin Zheng
Producer: Rui Mo
Cinematographer: Zhaohan Dong
Composer: Oscar Pan
Also starring: Qian Luo
More from Justin Zheng: Darkroom, Stolen DVD
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