She Fell to Earth

Rocks are people too. At least, that’s the basis of Susie Au’s deliciously offbeat sophomore feature, whose rainbow palette is one of the film’s many treats. A celestial body makes its way through the Earth’s atmosphere, transforming into a young woman on impact. But with that change goes all memory of what she was before, leaving her in a strange present, with an uncertain future. She keenly observes human lives, gaining insights into beings like herself, which includes Zheng Zhe, who believes that every object has a unique sound. If that’s true, what sound does she project into the universe? With her “indulgence to create images that evoke and provoke”, Au’s second feature since Ming Ming (2007) is another unique project in a career driven by the desire to buck conventions. Emerging on the 1990s music scene as a commercial director, Au created an aesthetic that melded well with artists such as Faye Wong, Eason Chan, Zhou Xun and Sitar Tan. Like Spike Jonze and Michel Gondry, Au’s film career has remained just as unique, thanks to her singular voice and vision, of which this film is the latest, resplendent example. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)