Director Zhao Siying: Let more people see female stories

The short film "On My Way" was screened at the 14th edition of the Beijing International Film Festival. The movie focuses on female self-awareness and is directed by Zhao Siying, whose work centers around social issues.

The story is about a mother who gets her driver's license and rarely drives due to driving-related anxiety, but she finally overcomes the fear and drives to the city to find her daughter. "The mother in this film actually got divorced. She felt that she had taken the first step towards freedom, but her subconscious choice was to go to her daughter," said director Zhao Siying.

Zhao wants to convey women's self-awareness. She said the inspiration for this film came from living with her mother during the Chinese New Year and observing the women around her. She said that a mother has a lot of responsibilities in society.

"A mother comes into different situations, like her parent-child relationship, her marital relationship," she said. "In fact, they have a lot of pressure and some responsibilities that are magnified by themselves."

In the film, friction occurs between the mother and her daughter, but they reconcile in the end.

"When dealing with familiar relationships, people are not so patient. There will be some collision," she said. "Maybe people don't pay much attention to their attitude in daily life, but it cannot be said that these details do not have an impact on the relationships with their loved ones."

As a female creator, Zhao hopes to help more people see stories involving women. "I think this is a worthwhile thing for me to do. It's my responsibility and also my pride," she said.

Camera: Zheng Hao and Li Bancheng