‘Whispers in May’ Director on Coming-of-Age Roadtrip Set in Rugged Region of China: ‘It’s Not Just About Beauty; Those Mountains Carry Weight’

Mar 15, 2026 6:55am PT ‘Whispers in May’ Director on Coming-of-Age Roadtrip Set in Rugged Region of China: ‘It’s Not Just About Beauty; Those Mountains Carry Weight’ By Lise Pedersen Plus Icon Lise Pedersen Latest ‘Amazomania’ Director Nathan Grossman on Western Viewers’ ‘Thirst for Adventure’ and the Need to ‘Let Them Look Critically at It’ 2 days ago ‘Little Sinner’ Director Daro Hansen on Escaping Forced Marriage and Capturing Her Healing in a Documentary: ‘I Used the Camera as Therapy’ 2 days ago Projects by ‘Honeyland,’ ‘Cleveland Versus Wall Street’ Directors Among Visions du Réel Industry Lineup 3 days ago See All “I’ve made many wishes, but none have ever come true.” That line, written by a teenage girl in China’s remote Liangshan region, became the starting point for “Whispers in May,” the hybrid documentary by Emmy-nominated Chinese director Dongnan Chen (“14 Paintings,” “Singing in the Wilderness,” “Sound of Vision”), which will world premiere in the main competition at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Film Festival, also known as CPH:DOX . The doc – which Chen describes as a “reluctant coming-of-age film” – follows Qihuo, a 14-year-old girl who has just had her first menstruation, on a road trip with two close friends. Their goal is to buy Qihuo a skirt for the traditional “Changing skirt” ceremony, a rite of passage marking the transition to womanhood for Nuosu women in that part of China. Related Stories Netflix Makes Cuts to Global Product Team as Part of Reorg