The Puppet
(Xinruo Wang, 2025)

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

The Puppet is a short film about inheritance and choice—a quiet reflection on identity, culture, and generational tension. The idea emerged from my long-standing interest in Chinese intangible cultural heritage. Initially, I intended to portray the decline of traditional arts as a tragedy. But during my research, I discovered many individuals actively and passionately working to preserve and revitalize Chinese culture. Their efforts inspired me to shift from pessimism to cautious optimism. Rather than ending in loss, the film adopts an open-ended conclusion—suggesting that cultural legacy may continue, quietly yet resiliently. As a young filmmaker, I know I cannot “save” a tradition, but I believe in the power of cinema to preserve moments where culture and personal fate intersect. If this film can leave even a few lingering frames in the audience’s memory, that, for me, is enough.

This film is produced as part of my practice-based dissertation project.

SYNOPSIS

The story follows Wang Haoran, a teenager who, after failing China’s national college entrance exam, is sent by his mother to Quanzhou to live with his uncle—an aging puppeteer. Initially dismissive of his uncle’s profession, Wang struggles to adapt to the unfamiliar world of traditional puppetry. But through conflict, shared time, and quiet observation, he gradually comes to appreciate the beauty and emotional depth of this vanishing art form. Just as their bond deepens, a looming crisis threatens the puppet troupe: their performance venue faces demolition. With limited options, they are forced to confront a difficult decision—should they alter their puppetry style to survive in a commercialized world, or hold onto tradition and risk losing everything?

CAST & CREW

CAST

Haoran Wang: Ziyang Chen
Xiangdong Chen: Huijun Hong

CREW

Director: Xinruo Wang
Script Writer: Xinruo Wang

Assistant Director: Jialuo Chen
Script Supervisor: Ziyu Cheng
Production Managers: Bin Wu
Location Manager: Xinruo Wang
Director of Photography: Mengjun Yang
Assistant Camera: Zihan Wei
DIT: Junxiang Shao
Focus Puller: Xingjie Wen
Gaffer: Kuo Lang
Electricians: Jingqi Wang, Yinghao Yang
Art Director: Chaozhong Wei
On—Set Art: Guanjun Wei, Shun Zhang
Sound recorder: Sishan Chen
Wardrobe: Xiaotong Hu
Editor: Yanfei Cao
Colorist: Linxin Zhu
Still photographer: Kan Zhao
Supervisor: Maryam Ghorbankarimi, Xueyan Wang

Xinrou Wang

Ziyu Chen

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