TANG LONG (2019)
#documentary film, #queer studies
Tang Long is a short documentary on a middle-aged gay couple, Tang Long and his partner, their daily life that assembles and differs from a heterosexual couples’ in a suburban area of Shanghai, and discussions on romantic relationship and love.
Our research interest focused on the unrepresented middle-aged LGBTQ group in urban China, more specifically, Shanghai. We started by connecting with local LGBTQ community such as ShanghaiPride and PFLAG, attending the ShanghaiPride Festival, as well as investigating the landscape of the middle-aged LGBTQ culture and some of its landmarks such as 来来舞厅 Lai Lai Dancehall. Though Shanghai is one of the most diverse and inclusive cities in China, we found it difficult to find the people we were looking for. In our first few attempts, we met Min Min (founder of Lai Lai Dancehall, 68 at the moment, gay man) and his two friends (52 and 54, unemployed, gay man) who treated interviews as a source of income, as well as a Christian, member of the local Rainbow Witness Fellowship, and state-owned enterprise worker (61, gay man) who hesitated and finally turned down our shooting out of concerns his acquaintances might see him on screen. We eventually settled down with Tang Long (40) and his partner Gang Gang (38) who lives in the Chuansha area of Shanghai, who was open to discussions and comfortable with being on camera.
Our research interest focused on the unrepresented middle-aged LGBTQ group in urban China, more specifically, Shanghai. We started by connecting with local LGBTQ community such as ShanghaiPride and PFLAG, attending the ShanghaiPride Festival, as well as investigating the landscape of the middle-aged LGBTQ culture and some of its landmarks such as 来来舞厅 Lai Lai Dancehall. Though Shanghai is one of the most diverse and inclusive cities in China, we found it difficult to find the people we were looking for. In our first few attempts, we met Min Min (founder of Lai Lai Dancehall, 68 at the moment, gay man) and his two friends (52 and 54, unemployed, gay man) who treated interviews as a source of income, as well as a Christian, member of the local Rainbow Witness Fellowship, and state-owned enterprise worker (61, gay man) who hesitated and finally turned down our shooting out of concerns his acquaintances might see him on screen. We eventually settled down with Tang Long (40) and his partner Gang Gang (38) who lives in the Chuansha area of Shanghai, who was open to discussions and comfortable with being on camera.
Directed by Jingtian Zong, co-edited with Yufeng Zhao
Cinematography by Yufeng Zhao
Co-Produced by Ziwei Liu, Jingyi Wang and Jianghao Hu
Special Thanks to Ann Haihan Chen
An NYU Shanghai Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund project.
Screenings:
2020 Periferias Festival, Marvão, Portugal
2019 CINEMQ Screening No.28: KIN, Shanghai, China
2019 Critica Festival, Shanghai, China
Online Streaming on FilmIn
Cinematography by Yufeng Zhao
Co-Produced by Ziwei Liu, Jingyi Wang and Jianghao Hu
Special Thanks to Ann Haihan Chen
An NYU Shanghai Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund project.
Screenings:
2020 Periferias Festival, Marvão, Portugal
2019 CINEMQ Screening No.28: KIN, Shanghai, China
2019 Critica Festival, Shanghai, China
Online Streaming on FilmIn