‘A Dance in Vain’ Trailer Unveiled as Lion of the Future Winner Lee Hong-chi Returns to Venice (EXCLUSIVE)

Variety is exclusively unveiling the first trailer for “A Dance in Vain,” the second feature from Lee Hong-chi following his 2023 Venice Lion of the Future Award-winning debut “Love is a Gun.”

The film has been selected for the Settimana Internazionale della Critica (SIC), the independent and parallel section of the Venice Film Festival organized by the Union of Italian Film Critics (SNCCI).

The drama stars Cici Wang as Monkey, a backstage theater worker facing unemployment after years of unrewarding work. She struggles to secure housing in Shanghai’s competitive market while processing the grief from her partner Leo’s suicide. Monkey is also trapped in repetitive daily patterns, seeking connection and understanding from others, only to be met with dismissive responses telling her to be thankful for what she has.

The project emerged from a deeply personal moment of urban disconnection for Lee. “There was a time when the city I lived in suddenly felt strange to me,” the director explained. “Even familiar friends and places I used to visit felt distant, in a way I couldn’t explain. That feeling fascinated me. So I grabbed my camera and started filming.”

“Sometimes people I knew, sometimes strangers I met on the street, just capturing their lives as they were in that moment. I knew it wouldn’t last. If I hesitated, the feeling would disappear.”

Boutique international sales and distribution company Parallax Films has boarded world sales on the Chinese title. The deal marks Parallax’s second collaboration with Lee after handling international sales on “Love is a Gun.”

Watch the trailer here: