Experiencing Interruptions?

The Harryian Theory

When Philip invites his assistant's boyfriend, Harry, over for dinner under false pretences, an in-depth conversation on the nature of love leads to Philip revealing his true intentions and desires.

  • Chongyan Liu
    Director
  • Chongyan Liu
    Writer
  • Thomas Moore
    Writer
  • Chongyan Liu
    Producer
  • Thomas Moore
    Producer
  • Wen Zihan
    Producer
  • Lyud Hristov
    Key Cast
    "Harry Shepherd"
  • Sven Ironside
    Key Cast
    "Philip Andrew"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    22 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 16, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Beaux-Arts de Paris
  • SHORT to the Point
    Bucharest
    Romania
    Official Selection – February 2022
  • Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF)
    Zanzibar
    Tanzania, United Republic of
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Seoul International Pride Film Festival
    Seoul
    Korea, Republic of
    November 5, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Chongyan Liu

Chongyan Liu is an artist-filmmaker born in Guizhou, China, who currently resides in Lille, France. After completing her studies at CAFA in Beijing, she pursued a master's degree at Beaux-Arts de Paris, and has now joined a two-year program at Le Fresnoy - Studio national des arts contemporains. Her creative output spans multiple mediums, including documentary and fiction filmmaking, experimental moving image, painting, and sculpture.

Chongyan is currently focused on exploring the intersection of video art and film. Her multidisciplinary approach to filmmaking seeks to redefine boundaries within the medium and challenge preconceived notions of the practice. Arriving in France at the age of 21, her works, nourished by her personal experiences and observations of social dynamics, serve as the foundations for experimentation and reflexivity. The feedback from this process of actualisation creates an echo in which the audience can identify a fragment of themselves; where they too have the chance to confront the latent trappings of yesteryear.

Chongyan’s work has been showcased at numerous prestigious international film festivals, such as IDFA, Beijing International Short Film Festival, Seoul International Pride Film Festival, and Videoex.

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Director Statement

During a short trip to London, I noticed a considerable shift in the disposition of those surrounding me; the atmosphere appeared to be so different to that of other major cities in Europe. Thanks to the support of my partner, I was able to co-write a film that encapsulated this kind of ambivalent miasma. In contrast, It was a wonderful experience shooting my first narrative short film and having the opportunity to work with a professional crew—something I had previously not had the resources to facilitate.

The images here are imbued not with confidence but uncertainty—the kind of which makes you wonder. I can’t exactly say it was a cathartic experience, but it was a necessary one.