EXCLUSIVE: Czech Republic-based sales firm Filmotor has acquired world rights to Dongnan Chen’s CPH:DOX prize-winner Whispers In May.
The film won the top DOX:Award in the main competition at Denmark’s CPH:DOX last month. It will have its US premiere at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival next week; before screenings at Visions du Reel, Hot Docs and Margaret Mead Film Festival.
Set in China’s remote Liangshan mountains, Whispers In May blends documentary with an improvised fictional framework, and follows 14-year-old Qihuo on a journey with her friends to find a skirt for her coming-of-age ceremony.
The Hong Kong, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden co-production is produced by Jia Zhao and Kay Xu for China’s Tail Bite Tail Films and the Netherlands’ Muyi Film. Backers include the IDFA Bertha Fund, Netherlands Film Fund, Swedish Film Institute, Field of Vision, First Documentary Lab, and La Fonte.
“Dongnan Chen has crafted a film of remarkable sensitivity and vision,” said Petar Mitric, acquisitions and promotion at Filmotor. “Whispers in May moves fluidly between reality and imagination in a way that feels both intimate and universal.”
Whispers In May is Chen’s second feature, after 2021’s Singing In The Wilderness, which played festivals including Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam.
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