A Song Sung Blue

Core plot & character portrayal

A turning point in a lonely summer:
Fifteen-year-old Liu Xian (played by Zhou Meijun), whose mother works in Africa, goes to live with her emotionally distant father (played by Liang Long), and becomes an emotional orphan.

Youth light penetrating darkness:
Korean-Chinese girl Jin Mingmei (played by Huang Ziqi) bursts into Liu Xian’s world with her outlandish vitality—leading her in skipping school, late‑night driving, and riverside dancing—completely overturning Xian’s oppressive routine.

Emotional imprint & the price of growth:
Amid a tumultuous summer, the two girls develop a vague affection, but Mingmei suddenly disappears, leaving only the Korean folk song “A Song Sung Blue” as a lifelong spiritual imprint for Xian. The film ends ambiguously, symbolizing the eternal themes of youth’s pain and self-redemption.

Visual aesthetics & narrative features

Symbolic imagery use:

Water imagery (pool, rain, riverbank) represents the emotional entanglement and suffocation that mirror the girl’s state of mind;

Red motifs (Mingmei’s motorcycle, lipstick, dress) contrast with Xian’s plain white clothes, emphasizing their character differences.

Non-professional actor authenticity:
Neither Zhou Meijun (previously in Angels Wear White) nor newcomer Huang Ziqi had formal acting training. Director Geng used extensive improvisation and long takes to capture the awkwardness and restlessness of adolescence.

Music as narrative device:
Liang Long composed the theme song “Summer Departed,” merging the melody of the Korean folk tune A Song Sung Blue with rock elements. The band Second Hand Rose appears as an underground group, reinforcing the era’s atmosphere.

Social meaning & director’s perspective

Writing female growth:
Avoiding conventional romance tropes, the film focuses on the complex bond and awakening between two girls. Xian transforms from passively following Mingmei to actively searching for her, symbolizing the building of selfhood.

Exploring second-generation immigrant identity:
Mingmei’s dual identity as a Korean‑Chinese girl (“My name in Mandarin is a fake light”) reflects the subtle oppression of ethnic minorities, deepening the cultural layer of this youthful tale.

Sources:
Selected in official Cannes festival lineup
National Film Bureau screening permit (Approval No. 電審故字〔2025〕第112號)
Director Geng Zihan’s interview (“Film Handbook”, June 2023)