Private Project

Xiaodi （晓迪）

On the 17th birthday of transgender girl Huang Xiaodi, the whole family gathered to celebrate her birthday. After dinner, her parents asked her to get in the car and take her to buy a birthday present. However, what awaited her was not the store, but an "Internet addiction school" on Gele Mountain in Chongqing.

They believed that this would convert Xiaodi and make her a "normal" boy. Trapped in a"private prison", Xiaodi learned to give in. In the face of violence and humiliation, she suffered disgrace to won the trust of instructors. Under her patience, a chance to escape finally came.

在跨性别女孩黄晓迪17岁生日那天，全家人团聚在一起为她庆生。饭后，父母叫她上车，要带她挑选生日礼物。然而，等待她的不是商店，而是位于重庆歌乐山上的一所“网瘾学校”。父母相信，这样能够扭转晓迪，使她成为一个“正常”的男孩子。

身陷“私人监狱”，晓迪学会了屈服。面对暴力和羞辱，她忍辱负重，博取教官的信任。在她的耐心等待下，一个逃跑的机会终于降临。

  • Chen Junmi
    Director
  • Gao Guo
    Director
  • Chen Junmi
    Producer
  • Gao Guo
    Writer
  • Li Shuo
    Writer
  • Chen Junmi
    Writer
  • Alexia Wong
    Writer
  • Gao Guo
    Animation
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Transgerder, Asian
  • Runtime:
    45 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 14, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    China
  • Country of Filming:
    China
  • Language:
    Mandarin Chinese
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Beijing Queer Film Festival
    Beijing
    China
    November 23, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Queer East Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    May 18, 2022
    Europe Premiere
    Official Selection
  • KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    June 1, 2022
    South Asia Premiere
    Official Selectin
  • Taiwan International Queer Film Festival
    Kaohsiung
    Taiwan
    August 26, 2022
    International Short Competition
  • Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival
    Silicon Valley
    United States
    May 30, 2022
    North America Premiere
    Official Selection
  • China New Documentary Director
    Hangzhou
    China
    CNDD Final List
Director Biography - Chen Junmi, Gao Guo

Chen Junmi
Chen Junmi, who lives in Beijing, is concerned about the situation of young LGBT people and has tried to promote anti-bullying on campus and prevent suicide among LGBT teenagers with films. Xiaodi is his first documentary.

Gao Guo
Gao Guo is a young Chinese activist for LGBTQ rights. He graduated from the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts in 2019. During his time there, he became passionate about LGBTQ issues and led a student group focused on these topics. After graduating with Academy Award, he joined Queer Comrades, a Chinese LGBT documentary organization, where he works as a director, producer, videographer, and editor. He creates videos about LGBTQ, disability, feminism, and related topics. In 2021, his documentary "Xiaodi" on conversion therapy issue was selected for international queer film festivals. As project manager, he organizes LGBTQ media training workshop called Queer University to support new Chinese LGBTQ filmmakers. He's also a member of the organizing committee for the Beijing Queer Film Festival and currently serves as its Festival Director. He's working on ways to screen LGBTQ films across China.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Try our best to turn the abstract so-called "conversion therapy" into a unique experience through film, which makes people feel the insult to personality and the destruction of dignity. At the same time, we reviewed Xiaodi's personal growth history and family memories to help the audience understand the experience and growth process of a transgender person.