MIU
Miu pieces together the final days of a young Chinese man who disappeared in East London.
Shortlisted for the Greirson Awards 2019 and screened as part of GIF London and IWART, the film is a UK production, produced by NFTS and La Pêche.
Synopsis
These are the final days of Miu, a colourful young man who moved to London from Hong-Kong to become an Architect. Combining re-enactments and interviews with the few people who knew him, 'Miu' is about the anonymity of being a foreigner in a big city and how easy it is to lose your way.
Technical Details
Shot in August 2018 in UK
Genre: Drama-Documentary
Running Time: 19'
Aspect Ratio: 1:2.39
Screening Format: 2K DCP, mov, mp4 (HD)
Sound: 7.1 Dolby or Stereo
Language: English, Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Director's Statement
‘Miu’ tells the story of one individual whose life was both typical of many single immigrants to London and so unusual in that very little is known about him.
I happened upon his story in quite a strange way – one day I read a short story by Screenwriter, Conor Keane, about a young Chinese man who disappeared in East London and had left his housemate with a small debt, his belongings and a mysterious note, written in Chinese. Consequently, the housemate who barely knew him had to track down his family in Hong Kong and then meet them in a heart-breaking - yet awkward encounter - as they spoke no English and he had lost their son’s note.
This story stayed me long after reading it, finally inspiring me to make a documentary about the real story behind it and try to unravel who Miu was.
What I wished to create with this film is a mixture of what was remembered by those who knew him at the time, combined with what my imagination as a filmmaker had to create to fill in the gaps. Piecing those details together in an attempt to faithfully paint a picture of his life. ‘Miu’ is my attempt to give voice to an unknown man and reflect on the meaning of one life in a mega migrant city of almost 9 million people.
Cast
Featuring: Adam Nathaniel Furman & Stéphane Cusset
Miu: Tao Deng
The Housemate: Louis Tamone
Miu's mother: Crystal XW
Crew
Director: Yaël Lotem
Writers: Conor Keane, Yaël Lotem
Producer: Kate Phibbs
Cinematographers: Alana M. Gonzalez, Yaël Lotem
Production Manager: Elisa De Pasquale
Editor: Mirjam Jegorov
Sound Recordists: Bridget Bradshaw, Chris Morris
Colour Grader: Liz Glennard
Sound Designer & Mixer: Kevin Langhamer