Musical Short ‘Masterpiece Mommy,’ Starring Chinese Singer-Songwriter Leah Dou, to Premiere at TIFF (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comMichaela Zee “Masterpiece Mommy,” the musical short starring Chinese singer-songwriter Leah Dou, has been selected for the Short Cuts program of the 49th annual Toronto International Film Festival.
The film, which was shot in London in four days, marks Dou’s international acting debut outside of China. Directed and written by London-based photographer Dorothy Sing Zhang, “Masterpiece Mommy” follows a girl named Justine (Dou) as she accompanies her mother to her mammogram appointment. “While in the waiting room, Justine’s interior world starts to shift, leading her to question her deep desires and the edges of the sharp bond between her and her mother, ultimately uncovering the true reason for their strained relationship,” the synopsis reads.
For her first narrative film, Zhang wanted to “create new images” that aren’t associated with musicals. “It’s about a mother and daughter, but I don’t see it as a sentimental piece,” Zhang tells Variety. “I’m not very interested in sentimentality.
I really saw this set up as a vehicle to push fiction.” The film was shot by cinematographer Maximilian Pittner and features a score composed by Sebastian Gainsborough.
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