Private Project

OBSOLESCENCE

After one commits suicide in bed, a doppelgänger turns the body into an art installation for display and begins a journey during which the true cause of death is revealed.

  • Caviar to the General
    Director
  • Caviar to the General
    Writer
  • 2G
    Producer
  • Caviar Jiang
    Key Cast
    "'Me' and 'Observer'"
  • B
    Cinematography
  • Luis Liu
    Cinematography
  • Zhengsuo
    Assistant Director
  • BN
    Editing and Special Effects
  • Michael_P
    Editing and Special Effects
  • Zean
    Original Music/Sound
  • Hao Jiang
    Production Designer
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 11, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    180,000 CNY
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    China
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • London Short Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    January 22, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Caviar to the General

Caviar to the General (Caviar Jiang) is a Chinese writer-director and artist based in London. Born in Shanghai, Caviar moved to the UK at 15, studied economics at the London School of Economics, and finished a master’s degree in filmmaking at London Film Academy in 2022. Caviar’s work explores experiences of the marginalised ethnic, sexual and gender identities in convention-breaking narratives and aesthetics that convey raw solid emotions.

Their 2021 short ‘OBSOLESCENCE’ that they acted in has been screened at festivals worldwide, including BAFTA-qualifying festivals and LGBTQIA+ festivals such as LSFF and Outfest LA. Caviar will submit their new short, ‘Breeze of Neglect, ’ for festivals in 2023. They are currently developing their debut feature titled ‘The Grey Compound’. Caviar also has been an actor in films such as João Pedro Rodrigues and João Rui’s 2022 film ‘Where Is the Street?’ which premiered in Locarno.

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Director Statement

We live in a society permeated by capitalism and consumerism, which have gradually turned us into commodities. As the primary driving force of society, money has pushed people to extremes of self-exploitation, all the while thinking they are free. This ‘freedom’ is merely a disguise with a hidden nature that manipulates people into becoming better commodities in the hierarchy of self-value. In addition, we live in a society fueled with positivity in which people are told they are capable of anything and there are infinite possibilities for ‘success’. It may feel good for the chosen few on top but proves detrimental to the mental well-being of the unlucky ones. One can observe significantly more cases of hysteria, anxiety and depression in this day and age. This never-ending cycle of exploitation and productivity reinforces the never-ending dynamics of consumption.

I made “Obsolescence” to express my personal experience of commodification and how it affected my mental health. In the film, the character ‘Observer’ sees how the urge to become a more desirable sexual object in the mating market has ‘Me’ lost. Then, they see how ‘Me’ gets hurt by their own ego every time they try to empathise under the pretext of love. Lastly, ‘Observer’ sees how ‘Me’, as a marginalised person, is ignored by a society that pursues productivity and efficiency.

This film, to me, is a cathartic release of emotions accumulated during years of self-discovery. When writing the script, I knew that I would need to play the main characters myself and that I would need to put up with immense physical pain to process through and transcend the harm that commodification has had on my mental health. The whole experience of making “Obsolescence” felt almost like a ritual with the power to set me free. As a queer Asian person with transnational identities, I want to bring awareness to mental health issues imposed by this intolerable society and help marginalised individuals relate to their own experiences.

I hope we can all find light in the darkest places.