Whisper From The Water

May 26

“For all my feelings that remain unspoken, I whisper to the water. May the waves bring you my voice”.

Whisper From The Water is a coming of an age story about friendship and sexuality. The film follows John as he takes on a rebellious adventure to a locked pool for a night of surprises, where he realizes an unspoken feeling toward his best friend, Max.

It is a fictional short film that John directed in 2021 in association with York University, the Faculty of Film. It was made under the mentorship of award-winning filmmakers Mathew Miller and Matt Johnson, with generous production grants provided by SIM Camera and SIM Lighting.

The film focuses on portraying John’s realization of his sexuality through protagonist-driven storytelling. It seeks to highlight the unvoiced tension between two friends by showcasing the actor’s reactions and the visual distances among different characters. We wanted to make ‘water’ a metaphorical mediator for all the feelings that remain unspoken among characters.

The film is currently running for festivals.

Official Selection of LA Indie Film Award.

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Key Creatives

Writer/ Director: Xu Tan
Production Manager: Gloria Aristocrat
Assistant Director: Desiree Falcao
Cinematographer: Mladjen Radulovic
Editor: Yigeng Huang
Sound: Johnny Chau
Art: Antonia Sinn/ Angela Savinon

John Tan

Whisper From The Water

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