The Unarmed: Firelock Silhouettes, 2min., China
Directed by Suyu SUN
In a land embraced by mountains, rituals repeat across generations: young men have their heads shaved, receive gunpowder and firearms, and become inheritors of the village’s cultural memory. Beyond the ritual, a pair of eyes has always been watching. She stands silent, slightly bowed, in the shadows beneath the drum tower.

Get to know the filmmaker:

Q1. What motivated you to make this film?

It started with a chance discovery — I came across a place known in China as ‘the last gunmantribe.’ But what struck me wasn’t the guns themselves. When these men raise their flintlocksaspart of a tourist spectacle, I kept wondering: what stories lie behind them? And more importantly— when men first picked up these guns, where were the women? How did they see all of this?

Those questions wouldn’t leave me, and that’s how this film was born.

Q2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

A little over two months. I don’t like dragging things out — once the idea clicked, everythingflowed naturally. I rode the momentum and just went for it.

Q3. How would you describe your film in two words?

The Gaze. The Unseen.

Q4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Runtime. I always wanted to go deeper, say more — but sometimes the hardest thing is knowingwhen to stop.

Q5. What is your favorite stage of the filmmaking process?

Pre-production, without a doubt. It’s the purest creative stage — anything is possible andtheideas are still alive with potential.

Q6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

At 15, when I got into the highschool affiliated with the Central Academy of Fine Arts —oneof

China’s most prestigious art institutions. Everyone around me was painting. I looked aroundandthought: that’s not my path. I need to find my own. Film was the answer.

Q7. What film have you seen the most times in your life?

I’m not really someone whorewatches films — I always want to see something new. But afewhave pulled me back: Taxi Driver, and Rohmer’s Four Seasons series (mostly becauseI keepforgetting the details, honestly). Some classics you revisit for work, and they always reveal something new.

Q8. In a perfect world: Who would you like to work with/collaborate with on a film?

Woody Allen. I don’t even know if I’d want to make a film with him —I just want to sit downandtalk with him for hours.

Q9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experience been working on thefestival platform?

Really smooth and intuitive. It makes the whole submission process much less intimidating.

Q10. What is your favorite meal?

Toasted bread. I’m too lazy to cook a proper meal — I could eat the same simple thingeverydayfor a month and be completely fine with it.

Q11. What is next for you? A new film?

First, moving to France to continue my studies. After that — I imagine new stories will findme.