Damp Season (2022)

A young Chinese couple, Dong and Juan, who seem to be weary of dating each other, are living in Shenzhen, located in southern China. Dong works as a security guard at an old amusement park but dreams of becoming a stage actor; Juan works at a flower shop and makes deliveries. One day, the two find themselves in secret relationships. Dong befriends Yuan, a woman who comes to the pond at the amusement park, while Juan is attracted to Long, a middle-aged man who orders flowers from her flower shop. Dong and Juan come to learn more about the world through the more mature people they meet.

The film is set during damp season in southern China, when humidity skyrockets to over 90 percent and is extremely uncomfortable for the people. Humidity is another character in this film, which shows the entangled relationship of four men and women. The relationship between Dong and Yuan and the one between Juan and Long are also as empty and difficult as the one between Dong and Juan. The humidity that fills up the atmosphere seems to symbolize the four people’s lack of communication and also makes it feel as though all the characters are stuck in a huge fish tank.

Aired first on 27.01.2020 at Rotterdam International Film Festival.