Singer-songwriter Mai Su makes his acting debut in a film and lends his voice, selected for the Hidden Dragons section at the Pingyao Film Festival.
In the lineup of the 9th Pingyao International Film Festival, the film "About the First 12 Days," directed by young filmmaker Meng Xing and produced by Space Nick, was shortlisted for the 'Hidden Dragon' section. At the beginning of this film flows the original work "Love is the Moon" by singer-songwriter Mai Su, who also makes her first 'natural' cameo on the big screen as a musician.
Creation Inspired by Feelings:
Mai Su instantly clicked with the director on the remastered version of "Love is the Moon."
"About the First 12 Days" is a film that uses black-and-white imagery to depict the daily lives of Beijing's artistic youth. It does not dwell superficially on the aesthetic quality of life or emotional literacy, nor on the immersion in mundane routines or dramatic detachment. Instead, it features natural everyday scenes, showcasing the innocence, clumsiness, and 'imperfections' underlying urban young people, painting a collective portrait of those in their twenties facing emotional anxiety and life confusion.
In this film, the insert songs are not just background music but also carry and guide the audience's emotions. When discussing the creation process, director Meng Xing specifically mentioned "Love is the Moon." To fit the 'live performance' scenes and atmosphere in the film, Mai Su boldly adapted this dreampop/indie-pop track into a 'solo electric guitar live version.' In the studio, by adding heavy reverb to the original electric guitar, the dreamy vibe of the song is preserved while leaving space for vocals and audience listening.
Maì Su did not use traditional recording methods in the studio; instead of turning on a metronome, she pursued a "one-take" recording approach to capture the most natural flow of emotion. In the finished film, this sense of naturalness also aligns with the dance of the female characters' bodies, as well as the floating and introspective spiritual exploration.
Beyond singing: Maì Su's cameo on the screen
This collaboration is not limited to music. Maì Su also makes a cameo in the film as a musician, presenting a delicate image of a female singer-songwriter in a black-and-white palette.
Through 'About the First 12 Days,' the production team hopes that audiences can see themselves reflected in these vivid characters and learn to face life with greater kindness and tolerance. 'We are all chasing the moon, and love is the only moon,' Mai Su's 'Love is the Moon' also echoes the dialogues between the young characters in the film and their inner selves.
On the screens of Pingyao Ancient City, Maisu's music, together with 'About 12 Days Ago,' brings a subtle yet resonant sense of connection to all the audience. We look forward to Maisu's future creations and contributions in the film field, starting from the perspective of a female singer-songwriter, to gather more voices in sync around the world.