Trailer:
Twelve-year-old Xiao Ai seems to be the only one affected by the death of an elderly neighbor whom everyone called "Crazy Granny". In the abandoned apartment of the deceased, Xiao Ai begins to form a connection with her neighbor and uncover her past.
Director Statement
In my childhood, some people were labelled "weird" or "crazy" and lived reclusive lives, shunned and misunderstood by the neighbourhood. Adults warned us to keep away, yet no one truly cared to know them. Through the eyes of my 12-year-old protagonist, Xiao Ai, this film explores the hidden warmth and richness in “Crazy Granny’s” world— different from the cold, numbing lives of the adults around her. I want to tell a story for the overlooked people and forgotten places and preserve my childhood memories of Chongqing in the ’90s.
About the Director
Xia Fan grew up in China and developed a love for cinema from an early age. She studied French literature for her bachelor’s degree before earning an MA in Film Studies at the University of Stirling. After working in video marketing for a London-based tech company for five years, she left to pursue a second MA in Filmmaking at London Film School.
Xia's filmmaking is rooted in a deep interest in the stories of marginalised individuals and overlooked lives. Her work often explores the interplay of memory and imagination, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy through a style of poetic realism and slow-cinema. She is drawn to capturing the subtleties of human experience, allowing moments of stillness and reflection to reveal the depth of her characters’ emotions and struggles.
