Private Project

Unseverable

A young girl yearning for freedom is in pursuit of her dreams when she faces an unexpected visit from her controlling mother. As their ideals and expectations clash, both are forced to confront their own desires and sacrifices. Through a brief yet profound time together, they gradually find a delicate balance and redefine their relationship.

  • Hewen Qian
    Writer
  • Hewen Qian
    Director
  • Linyu Shen
    Executive Producer
  • Zipeng Zheng
    Producer
  • Yi Zhou
    Key Cast
  • Qing Guo
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    剪不断
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 58 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    Mandarin Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.33
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - The University of Melbourne
Director Biography - Hewen Qian

Hewen (Kevin) Qian was born in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province of China and is a Chinese-Australian director. He moved to Australia during middle school with his parents. His journey into the arts started at high school when he chose art as a VCE elective that really sparked his passion for creative expression.

A graduate of RMIT University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Photography degree, the transition into filmmaking brought Qian into developing his unique cinematic voice, which reflects his cultural background and a different perspective.

Influenced by Ang Lee, Hirokazu Kore-eda, and Abbas Kiarostami, Qian focuses on the topics of identity, memory, and the subtle tension between tradition and modernity. His narrative approach becomes even more engrossing with his interest in documentary storytelling inspired by Bi Gan and Kong Dashan, which in the future will continue to add authenticity and depth to his work.

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Director Statement

"Unseverable" offers a glimpse into the intricate and often unspoken ways family expectations shape individual identity. As we grow up, expectations and beliefs are imposed on us, influencing how we see ourselves and what we feel we must become. My goal with this film was to portray both the weight of these high hopes and the often-hidden sacrifices that accompany them, while also exploring the delicate balance between parental support and personal ambition.

The film is both deeply personal and universally resonant, touching on the quiet resilience needed to pursue one’s passions in the face of unspoken pressures. I’m captivated by reflective moments between people, where words are unnecessary—when a look or a final word conveys everything. These are the kinds of elements that more often than not are very subtle and at the same time occur over time as in the case of the differences between families. "Unseverable", on the other hand, is meant to show that when bound families even while estranged from one another, there exists an indestructible bond of blood that conditions who one is and who one wants to be.

Hoping to provide a representation that is similar to that of Ang Lee and Hirokazu Kore-eda in certain aspects, I opted for the verisimilitude relief whereby this parent-child narrative is neither parental-centric nor neglected. Love has a way of complicating things, and it is imperative that this be understood, hence ‘A Weaving’. Ultimately, I know many people will connect to the journey of Liu Lin and that age-old battle will encounter them – the guilt of going too far and the guilt of not doing enough, either for oneself or the ones you love.