When making her first feature film, writer-director Shan Jiang knew the theme of the "one-night stand with no commitments" was already cliched, but she also saw it as a "challenge.".
«"Choosing Shanghai as the setting was a conscious decision from the very beginning. Growing up, it was always the most 'open' city in China—the most permeable to the outside world," Shan says in a statement. "But by early 2024, when we were in development, Shanghai was also living in the shadow of the 2022 lockdown. I wasn't interested in making a film about that. I was interested in making a film that could only exist in a Shanghai that had lived through that period—where ephemerality wasn't just something that lovers in a novel possess. It was also in the air.".
More from The Hollywood Reporter
-
«"It was completely incomprehensible to me": why producer Miranda Bailey went abroad to support an independent film from Greece.
-
Claire Foy performed "Someone Like You" with an audience member grabbing the microphone at the SXSW festival in London.
-
Thailand launches Bangkok International Content Market in a bid to become "Asia's content hub.".
Movie «Ephemera» , Premiering at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, this film tells the story of two women, 23-year-old Asher (Yvonne Shuyu Zhang) and her hip-hop dance teacher Tori (Shu-Yi), wandering the streets of Shanghai on one of Asher's last evenings before returning to Los Angeles. This ordinary stroll turns into something more as they share stories and laugh in this love story between the two women.
In the exclusive video below, Usher and Tori walk and talk about their hopes and thoughts, before the moment ends with a tender embrace.
As for what kind of impression audiences should get from the film, Shan says, "By the time viewers get home, parts of the film will be forgotten. And parts may linger in their memory—perhaps inexplicably, perhaps years later, or perhaps just for a day. I'd rather not dictate which parts belong where.".
Film premiere «Ephemera» will be screened on Sunday, June 7, as part of the American Feature Film Competition at the Tribeca Film Festival. Additional screenings are scheduled for next week.
The Best of The Hollywood Reporter
-
New York City Film and TV Locations: 47 Iconic Spots Worth Visiting.
-
All Scream films, rating
-
12 Darkest Movies for That Lost Week After Christmas
Subscribe to the THR newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.