Honey (mi)

Chinese media artist Yang Fudong explores film’s technical and stylistic possibilities in an experimental way. His analysis of cinematic history ranges from Shanghai film productions of the 1930s to the French Nouvelle Vague. 
In Honey (mi), the artist strings together assorted scenes that hint at a coherent plot without telling a concrete story. Agents dressed in gray suits and a mysterious woman in fishnet stockings and faux fur meet in a conspiratorial apartment. The woman’s lascivious pose recalls the nameless prostitute in the Chinese film The Goddess from 1934. All the actors remain in a waiting position, watching each other, playing cards and smoking. They enter a building one after the other, watching to see if they are being followed. 
Initially a silent observer, the camera eventually becomes an accomplice; hidden behind the bushes, it spies on the protagonists. The rapid alternation of shots and the captivating music heighten the tension and are reminiscent of spy films and thrillers.