Imagine a young Chinese girl, raised in the heart of a Welsh fishing village, boldly rejecting the folklore her mother holds dear. But what happens when she encounters something truly magical? This is the captivating premise of Under the Wave off Little Dragon, a 14-minute short film by Luo Jian, showcased at the 69th BFI London Film Festival (LFF). But here’s where it gets controversial: Can a child’s rejection of cultural heritage ever lead to a deeper understanding of identity? This thought-provoking film, part of the LFF’s ‘Discovering Home’ collection, stars Kexin Wang as FeiFei, a curious and independent girl whose journey challenges the very notion of belonging. Shot in Mandarin, English, and Welsh, the film also features Ah Mui Lau, Jessica Dong, Stevee Davies, Rhys Meredith, Ross Foley, and Lee Mengo, bringing to life a story that blurs the lines between tradition and modernity.
Under the Wave off Little Dragon is one of four Film4 shorts at the LFF, supported by Future Takes, a collaborative initiative between the BFI and Channel 4’s Film4. This program nurtures filmmakers through every stage of production, culminating in a showcase before the films are made available for streaming on Channel 4 platforms and the BFI Player. And this is the part most people miss: The film’s creation was deeply personal for Jian, who drew inspiration from her own experiences moving from the U.S. to the U.K. during a particularly isolating winter. A trip to Wales, with its lush green landscapes reminiscent of her hometown in China’s Gobi Desert, sparked the idea for the film. She even noticed parallels between Welsh and Chinese cultures, like the red dragon statues that adorn Welsh homes, which humorously became a point of debate with her Welsh partner.
Casting Kexin Wang as FeiFei was a serendipitous moment. At just seven years old, Wang had no prior acting experience but exuded a unique seriousness that Jian found irresistible. Here’s the twist: Wang’s mother, who helped improvise scenes, runs a restaurant near Heathrow—a detail she initially kept to herself. This natural dynamic between mother and daughter added an authentic layer to the film, which explores themes of cultural identity, generational gaps, and the search for belonging.
Jian’s process was highly collaborative. She adapted the script to reflect Wang’s background as a second-generation immigrant, shifting the focus from her original idea of a first-generation immigrant’s loneliness. This evolution highlights the film’s core question: How do we connect with a culture that isn’t entirely our own? Boldly, the film challenges traditional narratives: FeiFei’s mother shares a Chinese tale about a fish transforming into a dragon—a symbol of striving for a better life—but neither FeiFei nor her mother fully believes it. Is this rejection a loss, or a step toward finding one’s own truth?
As Jian looks to the future, she’s already brewing ideas for feature films, though she admits she’s not a fast writer. In the meantime, Under the Wave off Little Dragon invites audiences to reflect on their own cultural journeys. Here’s the question for you: Can rejecting folklore ever lead to a deeper understanding of who we are? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation!
