Xiao He

Liu Shu : 2012
Lotus

Xiao He is a free-spirited teacher working in a village in northern China. To her, learning is possible only if one experiences the pleasure of discovering something new, and it does not mean abiding by the same old rules. Her students love her teachings, but her colleagues do not like her rebellious attitude. When they discover that her lover, Li Weifeng, is a married man, she is forced to leave the school. Xiao He decides to move to Beijing, where she thinks she can use her creativity working as a journalist. However, her innate sense of freedom brings her into trouble again, and she is forced to work as a waitress to make a living. To find some security in her life, she begins dating a well-off businessman, Liu Xiangdong, who has a Beijing residency permit, but his love is not returned by Xiao He. When she decides to accept him anyway, a young policeman who she had previously turned down, will try to hamper her dreams. It is time for Xiao He to make a choice either to carry on suffering, or to betray her ideals in order to change her life. Liu Shu's debut feature premiered in competition at Venice International Film Critics' Week 2012.