‘The Original Black Sheep’ Uncovers Ghosts in This Coming-of-Age Story
IndieWire Staff
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Tweetable Logline: A quirky, coming-of-age story about a young man who inherits the ancestral family ghost from his eccentric grandfather.
Elevator Pitch: On his deathbed, Bear’s grandpa tries to impart his last words on his grandson, but Bear flees his bedside out of fear and escapist instincts. Bear later regrets his actions, but it appears to be too late. That is, until QQ shows up and offers Bear an unlikely do-over in the form of an old Chinese superstition: the belief that the soul of the deceased returns home on the seventh day of mourning to say goodbye. Together, Bear and QQ set off for Grandpa’s remote cabin in the mountains, looking for one last moment with Grandpa.
Production Team:
Director – Erica Liu
Producer – Eunice Wu
Cinematographer – Jason Chew
About the Film: I wanted to tackle mortality and death in this film because it’s such a universal experience and concept, but it’s kind of hard to make sense of without resorting to inadequate cliches and banalities. When I heard about the Chinese superstition about the spirit returning for a final, parting visit on the seventh day, I thought it was a beautiful (and quirky) abstract idea that captures our innate desire to reunite with deceased loved ones. We might not all believe the solution is tracking down a ghost on the seventh day, as Bear does, but the yearning is universal.
Current Status: Fundraising/pre-production
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