Experiencing Interruptions?

I Just Want to Be Wanted

After being suddenly struck with amnesia, an old man is brought to a dilapidated house and ordered to harvest corn by a man who claims to be his son. Mocked and mistreated, the old man begins to doubt the identity of this “son.” However, when the police come to town to search for an escaped killer, the “son” begins to suspect that the “father” might be the culprit.

  • Kaiwen Li
    Director
    China’s Ultimate Caves (Director, Warner Bros. Discovery), Story of Iron Mic (VICE, Editor), China’s Ultimate Frontier (Director, Warner Bros. Discovery)
  • Alima Strickland
    Producer
    China’s Ultimate Caves (Warner Bros. Discovery), Wisdom of China (CCTV9), China’s Ultimate Frontier (Warner Bros. Discovery)
  • Ramin Shakibaei
    Cinematographer
    Oppenheimer (Systems Technician), Nope (Systems Technician), War Paint (Cinematographer)
  • Tieren Zhao
    Key Cast
    Home with Kids (家有儿女, 2002), Cooking Class Story (炊事班的故事, 2002), The Railway Station (候车室的故事, 1997), Xian Ren Ma Da Jie (闲人马大姐, 2000), Fantasy Countryside – Meng Huan Tian Yuan (梦幻田园, 1999), My People, My Homeland (我和我的家乡, 2020)
  • Kai-Luen Liang (Soulspeak)
    Music Producer
    Love in the Land of Robots (Solo album, 2016) , Whisper Factory (Solo album, 2019), Se Ruo (色弱, collaborative album with J-Fever, 2015)
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    孽种
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 10, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    29,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    China
  • Language:
    Mandarin Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    4K ProResHQ 16:9 4096x2304
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 61st Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
    Taipei
    Taiwan
    November 4, 2024
    Taiwanese Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 18th FIRST International Film Festival
    Xining
    China
    July 21, 2024
    Chinese Premiere
    Best Live Action Short Film Nominee
Distribution Information
  • Parallax Films
    Sales Agent
    Country: China
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Kaiwen Li

Kaiwen Li is a cinephile, an alum of Rhode Island School of Design, and an award-winning commercial and documentary director. He has worked extensively with VICE and WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, creating numerous documentaries that have shaped Asia’s youth culture. He has directed commercials for top international brands including Airbnb, Beats by Dr. Dre, Intel, P&G, Burger King, and Burberry. He has also created music videos for China’s avant-garde artists such as J-Fever, Howie Lee and Snapline. His latest documentary series "China's Ultimate Caves" won the Telly Award for Best Documentary Series in 2024. Kaiwen is currently a director at Homework Productions, living between Shanghai and Los Angeles.

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Director Statement

Director’s Statement: Four thoughts can explain the creation of my short film “I Just Want to Be Wanted”:

1. Cinematic Geometry: The core of films, especially suspense films, lies in their geometry and math. Rather than viewing a film’s plot as linear or non-linear, I liken it to origami: different combinations and possibilities emerge, but ultimately, a paper crane appears, overturning expectations in a logical yet surprising way. I love such films and wanted to explore this kind of plot within a short film’s runtime.
2. The Direction of Fantasy: Not all fantasies are positive. Honestly, almost none of my personal fantasies are suitable for public discussion. Additionally, fantasies don’t always look to the future. People often fantasize about the past, reshuffling their history to redefine their present, especially when facing failure. The English title reflects this: "I Just Want to Be Wanted." I want to be wanted by my family, but if not, I’d rather be wanted by the police.
3. Old Age in Film: Media often portray old people as pitiable and deserving of sympathy, which I find simplistic and condescending. I wanted the characters and the audience to understand why the old man in the film takes matters into his own hands.
4. Respecting Reality: I admire 90s American cinema for embracing limitations and situating fictional scenarios within reality, where the real world can intrude unpredictably. Commercial filmmaking often fears this lack of control, resulting in lifeless works. I align more with Laozi’s philosophy: when reality brings surprises to your door, welcome them in.