This is a film that looks at a company offering Chinese citizens access to surrogate mothers in the US; it focuses on the woman who owes the company, and her own upbeat journey to have a child through IVF and surrogacy. This implies that the film will be a solemn affair but in actuality it is presented wit ha quirky soundtrack and upbeat tone that would be me associated with a quirkumentary on a weird but harmless subject. The approach shouldn't work, because it seems so at odds with its topic - however it works not only because of this contrast, but also because it does fit well with the subject of the film - Qiqi.
Quqi is a lively woman who seems endless energetic and driven; all through the film we follow her. The lively music suits a film about her, because she seems quirky, fun, odd, and a good subject for the quirky profile document that this feels like. However the strength of the film lies it in not being interested in that at all. Instead what the viewer takes from the film is a sense of discomfort over the ethics of trading in human life, in poorer people renting their reproductive organs to richer people, and the general commoditisation of the whole process of childbirth. All that plays underneath in a way that is evident enough to make the contrast with the tone obvious, but not so much it feels inappropriate, or too little that it belittles. It is perfectly pitched as a documentary because it brings a lot from the viewer without pushing it down our throat.
As playful as it seems, it is thoughtful and intelligent, offering no questions or answers, but guiding the viewer to do that themselves.
Quqi is a lively woman who seems endless energetic and driven; all through the film we follow her. The lively music suits a film about her, because she seems quirky, fun, odd, and a good subject for the quirky profile document that this feels like. However the strength of the film lies it in not being interested in that at all. Instead what the viewer takes from the film is a sense of discomfort over the ethics of trading in human life, in poorer people renting their reproductive organs to richer people, and the general commoditisation of the whole process of childbirth. All that plays underneath in a way that is evident enough to make the contrast with the tone obvious, but not so much it feels inappropriate, or too little that it belittles. It is perfectly pitched as a documentary because it brings a lot from the viewer without pushing it down our throat.
As playful as it seems, it is thoughtful and intelligent, offering no questions or answers, but guiding the viewer to do that themselves.