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Mantle

Mantle is a story about the healing process of grief. The protagonist Fergus has just lost his grandfather suddenly whilst he is miles away. He is in absolute denial of reality and lives in a fantasised world of his grandfather is still alive. He decided to fulfil the promise he made to his grandfather which was to fix the radio. The radio worked and so he goes on a routine breakfast route with the radio. In a series of events, the radio malfunctioned and stopped working. Fergus rushes home and tries to fix the broken radio. He attempted numerous times and ways from dusk till dawn but to no prevail. He was very annoyed and upset to the point he exploded and swung everything to the ground. It was then the fantasy broke, and Fergus realises his grandfather has passed. Fergus cleaned up the floor and starts to eat the food he bought earlier. As he was eating numerous memories resurfaced and he starts to cry. Suddenly, the radio starts to work again as if it were possessed and Fergus felt a pat on his head. He looks up to believe his grandfather’s spirit is around. It was then Fergus accepted reality and moved on.

  • Fergus Chan
    Director
  • Fergus Chan
    Writer
  • Kai Lu
    Producer
  • Zibo Zheng
    Director of Photography
  • Jinyu Lu
    Post-production Coordinator
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 31, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    China
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    Yue Chinese (Cantonese)
  • Aspect Ratio:
    17:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Sydney
Director Biography - Fergus Chan

Hon Sze Fergus Chan is a young film creator born in Hong Kong. Fergus have a very interesting experience and cultural influence as he have spent 8 years living in Beijing China and UK.

Fergus started out as a architecture student. After finishing his BA in architecture he decided to throw himself into the media field instead.

In 2022, Fergus began his study in University of Sydney. The course he is studying is called Master of Moving Image. In the midst of his studies, he participated in roles like director, actor and more. His first film is Mantle a story based on his tragic experience during Covid 2021. In which Fergus both directed and acted as the main character of the short film.

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Director Statement

Mantle is a story adapted from my tragic experience in 2021. I was far away in the UK when the passing of my grandfather happened. The idea of the movie is derived from the story and my personal healing process. The objective of Mantle was for me to find closure after accepting my grandfather’s death and for me to find a way to remember him. In the creation of the story and script, the five stages of grief model proposed by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross was referenced to help create emphasis on the regrets and grief I was feeling at the time. Coming to think of it, I realised that I have accidentally used psychoanalytic theories created by Sigmund Freud when I was writing the script of Mantle. Other than my personal objectives, I hope that this movie can also give the audience closure if needed.