Love Will Tear Us Apart
On a transcendental night, a nihilist young man grasps at the last chance to save his failing relationship from persistent poverty and frustration.
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ZhouAnQi LiuDirector
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ZhouAnQi LiuWriter
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Derek JonesKey Cast"Alex"
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Emma Hall-MartinKey Cast"Gin"
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Hongwei WuProducer
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Michael CongCinematographer
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Ke Liu Xiaomeng LuAssistant Director
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Ke LiuAssistant Director
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Meredith ZhangSound
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Emmanuel SchalitScoring
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Zhiming GuoScoring
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Jun HuangScoring
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Project Title (Original Language):无情游 / L’amour nous dechirera
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Project Type:Experimental, Short, Student
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Genres:Romance, Drama, Fantasy
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Runtime:18 minutes 30 seconds
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Completion Date:February 14, 2023
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Production Budget:12,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:4:3
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:Yes - Columbia University
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Cinematic European Film FestivalTransylvania
Romania
February 26, 2023
Romania Premiere
Honorable Mention -
Columbia University Film FestivalNew York
United States
May 12, 2023
America Premiere
Official Selection -
New York Lift-Off Film FestivalOnline
July 3, 2024
Online Premiere
Official Selection -
Long Island International Film ExpoLong Island
United States
July 19, 2023
Long Island Premiere
Best Editing -
Mulan International Film FestivalToronto
Canada
August 12, 2024
Canada Premiere
Official Selection -
St Andrews Film FestivalSt. Andrews
United Kingdom
November 24, 2023
UK Premiere
Official Selection -
HiShorts! Film FestivalXiameng
China
December 25, 2023
Asia Premiere
Finalist -
New York International Film AwardsNew York
United States
Finalist -
Film in FocusBucharest
Romania
Honorable Mention -
New York Indie Shorts AwardsNew York
United States
Semi-Finalist -
Red Movie AwardsReims
France
Finalist -
New York Shorts International Film FestivalNew York
United States
Official Selection -
Asian Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
Official Selection -
Chinese American Film FestivalLos Angeles
United States
Official Selection -
Shanghai International Short WeekShanghai
China
Official Selection
Zhouanqi is a director, screenwriter, production designer, and still photographer from Changsha, China. She is a visual storyteller who focuses on individual survival and destiny through poetic imagery.
She holds degrees in MFA Directing concentration from Columbia University and BA in Screenwriting from Beijing Film Academy. Currently living in New York, with a base in Beijing.
In retrospect, the story initially comes from 2017, when a documentary filmed me. I traveled from northern China down south for a funeral as a narrator, meeting old acquaintances and picturing memories that happened in every city. One phenomenon that captured me is a nihilism regarding common values pervading among the 90s generation who live in the big city under limited resources and uneven distribution. At the same time, they want themselves to want something eagerly, with idealistic hope and reckless dedication, especially in a relationship, which could be the purest pursuit. Indeed, it turns out to be the most erratic. When I came to New York in 2018 and traveled to Detroit, I discovered similar stories that transcend all boundaries. After the pandemic, the concern about how to live and what we want haunts my generation (including me) evermore so. More or less, we are all experiencing the same frustrations and aimlessness.
Resistance to the growing ambiance of opportunism, hedonism, and consumerism, the nihilist believes in nothing-no purpose, no principles, and no meaning in life. However, they persist in destroying instead of rebuilding. Therefore, the thought of ‘live fast, die young’ has emerged more in the youth culture. Due to the impatience about living, a sacrifice for love stands out among all the trivialness for self-fulfillment, with no cost, and ends in a dichotomy. Love is blind, as well as hate.
So I wonder what if a nihilist, who has been defined in contemporary times as a loser,’ ‘good-for-nothing,’ or ‘a misfit’ and fails in every relationship with his lover, family, friends, and even co-workers, still wants to succeed at something once? Meanwhile, he holds the most idealism, romanticism, and individual heroism, although he can never get a chance to practice in reality, which will be revealed through his monologues as a complementary to his life and also an attempt to break the gap between two mediums - novel and film. I would like to portray the protagonist as an atypical revolutionist and one who challenges nihilism in his love. His whole night’s journey is about wanting his girlfriend back, but eventually, he finds out he only wants to want her. He likens to the modern figure of Sisyphus, who can never roll the stone up the hill if there is no hill. As for myself, he is a powerless, disposable, yet rebellious “hero.”