Experiencing Interruptions?

The End Is The Beginning Is The End

In Buddhism, Heterosexual and Homosexual attractions are both seen as originating from ignorance and attachment to physical desires. From the pressure of the society, riddled with tags and prejudices, to the pain of not being understood by family, Horis navigates diverse forms of oppression.

THE END IS THE BEGINNING IS THE END is a portrait of Horis Chen. Here, she sees homosexuality through the lens of Buddhism, introducing a Eastern approach that all beings are equal regardless of gender or sexual orientation, to understand homosexuality in a new way.

The journey toward equality is for everyone. Horis, as one of the many individuals on this journey, contributes to a more equal and inclusive future through her story.

  • Yilin Xie
    Director
  • Yilin Xie
    Producer
  • Horis Chen
    Key Cast
    "Horis Chen"
  • Jack Ellis
    Director of Photography
  • Yilin Xie
    Editor
  • Kexin Zhao
    Sound Recordist
  • Kino Ma
    Hand Made Film (Motion Graphics)
  • Sun Yong
    Composer
  • Andrew Connell
    Colourist
  • Lee Yee
    Sound Mix
  • Grey North
    Ending Theme
  • Shannon Owen
    Supervising Producer
  • Katie Bradley
    Production Coordinator
  • Natalie Cunningham
    Post-Production Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    永恒
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 27, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    350 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    Yue Chinese (Cantonese)
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Victorian College of the Arts
  • Shanghai International Short Week
    Shanghai
    China
    Quarterly Winner for Best Documentary Short
  • Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Yilin Xie

Yilin Xie is a Chinese documentary filmmaker and producer. She is pursuing a master degree of Film and Television in the Victorian Collage of the Arts - the University of Melbourne. Stepping into the realm of filmmaking in 2022, she demonstrated a quick emergence onto the scene with two short documentaries: The Arts of Belonging (2022) and Searching for Carrot Man (2023). In these films, Yilin explores the cultural diversity and the story of local legends, immersing audiences in Melbourne's uniqueness.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I made The End Is The Beginning Is The End with my best friend Horis Chen, the main participant in the film. We always talk about how is feel like being a lesbian in China, during different times in recent decade. A few months before making the film, we realised the cultural disparities between Western LGBTQ+ values and the understanding of older generations in Eastern cultures, prompting us to approach the topic in a new and unique way. That led me to discover the simplicity and resonance of using Buddhist values to explain homosexuality. Surprisingly, it does not treat homosexuality as a distinct or unique phenomenon, but rather as equal to heterosexuality. Thus I believed this could provide the audience from Eastern countries or even the global audience with a fresh and enlightening perspective, at least prompting them to reflect on their attitudes towards homosexuality.

This film will always be special to me because working with my friends Horis and the DOP Jack allowed us to collaborate in a very comfortable and creative way. Horis was able to tell her story without restraint. During the pre-production period, she told me not to highlight her “difference” in society. So I decided to show her memory with the society, her mother, and her girlfriend in a poetic way, rather than solely discussing on her lesbian identity.

Horis also told me that she felt her relationship with her girlfriend was wrong from the beginning - the moment she started the relationship, it felt like it was already doomed to end. I was inspired by this saying because this is a very common thought within the Chinese LGBTQ+ community. Therefore, I named this film as The End Is The Beginning Is The End. The audience can always read it deeper - every ending marks the start of a new phase. Therefore, it marks despair but also hope in every homosexual relationship.