China Love (2018) - full transcript
Just over 40 years ago, marriage in China was arranged by the state. Romantic love was seen as a capitalist concept and was not allowed during this period. Wedding photography (if any at ...
♪♪
♪♪
Woman: You live
in a different world.
Not a world of words...
but of things
that you cannot express.
♪♪
[Camera shutters clicking]
♪♪
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
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♪♪
Mweh!
♪♪
Olivia: In the world's
largest megacity,
it is often the public spaces
that reveal the stories.
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
Olivia: As a photographer
living in Shanghai,
I found myself drawn
to the dreamlike
photo shoots
on the streets around me.
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
Olivia:
I wanted to understand why
everyone had a pre-wedding shoot
well before
their actual wedding.
♪♪
Whose fantasy was it,
and why was it so deeply
important to everyone?
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
Olivia: I only had to
look back one generation
to start finding answers.
[Speaking
foreign language]
Olivia:
Only 40 years ago,
marriages were arranged
by family or the state.
Wedding photos
consisted of one
black and white
passport-sized photo
and served primarily
as proof of the marriage.
[Camera shutters snapping]
Now, the wedding industry
in China
is worth over $80 billion.
♪♪
Stepping into this
fairytale wonderland,
I found a new respect
for the power of photography
as I watched the camera
help a nation
build new memories and dreams.
♪♪
Before I knew it,
I had opened a doorway
into a much broader
understanding of China,
the country
I now call home.
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
Okay, let's get him
sitting down there,
and we'll ask
some questions.
Xuezhong: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[All speaking
foreign language]
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[Camera shutter snaps]
[Speaking
foreign language]
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[Indistinct chatter]
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[All speaking
foreign language]
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[Laughs]
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[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
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[Camera shutter snaps]
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Man: [Laughs]
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[Camera shutters snapping][Indistinct chatter]
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Aww.
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[Sighs]
♪♪
If I didn't meet Will,
I would never marry someone
I don't love.
That's never gonna happen
no matter how hard
people push me.
♪♪
My mom always tells me,
"The only thing
is study hard.
Get the highest score
in your class.
That's how you show others
you're the best."
[Sighs]
That actually give me
that competitive sense.
From a young age,
I need to finish the task
one by one --
the priorities.
So I actually set
finding true love
as the first task
I need to finish.
[Indistinct chatter]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
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[Camera shutter snapping]
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Han Pan: [Speaking
foreign language]
Man: Okay.
Han Pan: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
How you feel?
Huh?
Say something.
The dreams are
coming true.
Okay, you know,
one, two, three,
four, five...
[Laughs]Seven people
watching you.
Oh, yeah.
They're pressure,
though.
[Laughs]
I was born for this.
[Laughter]
You can't look better
than me, okay?
Okay.
[Indistinct chatter]
♪ Hey, hey
♪♪
[Laughter]
[Camera beeps]
[Shutter snaps]
[Laughing]
[Camera shutter snaps]
Viona: Compared to
our mother generation,
most of them didn't have,
like... [Indistinct]
That's why, all the women,
they've been dying to
have those photos
for a long, long time.
So, they actually put
all the hope towards us.
That's why we're taking
this responsibility, okay?
To present my beauty
and my mother's beauty
[Laughs] and my
grandmother's beauty.
♪♪
Yes, because that's
the only time
they are that close
to their dream, okay?
After the wedding photos,
they are done.
[Laughs] They're back
to the reality, okay?
They got to
wash the rice
and do all the cleaning.
That's it, okay?
But once, you were
that close to your dream,
your destination,
which is there, okay?
You were almost
touching it, and you left.
That's okay.Olivia:
What is the dream?
The dream is to be
wealthy and happy.
Dressed like that,
doing nothing.
[Laughing]
[Motor rumbling][Brakes hiss]
[Camera shutters snapping]
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[Laughter]
[Objects shuffling]
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Li: [Speaking
foreign language]
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[Indistinct chatter]
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[Camera shutters snapping]
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Camera beeping]
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[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Camera shutters snapping]
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[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Camera shutters snapping]
Li: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
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[Laughs]
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[Camera shutter snapping]
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Olivia: I can see a taxi.
Let's get that one.
Yeah, I'm getting in.
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[Men rapping in foreign
language]
[Gears whirring]
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Hey.
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Yeah, long time,
no see.
[Indistinct chatter]
But you look good!
[Laughs]You look fresh.
[Laughter]
♪♪
Eric:
He's the wedding king.
Like, he's the Godfather
of the wedding industry.
You know,
he sells happiness.
♪♪
Woman: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Speaking
foreign language]
Don't go.
Don't go home.Olivia:
You keep going?
Olivia: Every year?Every year.
Ah.
Just, I --
I --
Really, we are...
Hmm.
At my mind, always.
Just the ten name
at my mind.
Always just the ten.And not ten cars.
Not ten cars.
Three cars.
The three car,
and the money,
and the cash,
and like this, maybe.
Now, what does
that represent?
The lapel pin?
I introduce for you.
Okay.
And when he says cash --
I told you the big checks,
but also, big stacks
of cash, too.
♪♪
Allen: [Speaking foreign
language throughout]
Olivia: Sit?
Let's sit.
What do you think
the difference is
between the Chinese dream
and the American dream?
[Inhales]
I think it's the same dream.
The same.
Everyone want to...
He told me yesterday --
He said, "When you're poor,
your dream is to
have money, right?
And then, when you have
money, you dream is --
It could be
anything, really.
Now you have money, you can
do anything you want.
So, whatever your dream is,
you can accomplish it.
But when you're poor,
your only dream
is to get money
and be successful.
No poor person.
Just a poor man.
Hmm.
He don't know
how to make money.
I can change everyone,
if I want.
And how do you feel
about that, Eric?
[Laughs]
Eric?
He says
there's one road.
You tell them --
Right?
One road.
Just follow him,
and I can be successful --
Or anybody can, really.
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[Laughing]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
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[Camera shutters snapping]
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[Indistinct chatter]
[Laughs]
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[Laughs]
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[Laughs]
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[Chuckles]
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Oooh!
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[Laughs]
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[Motor whining]
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David: We haven't
actually set a date.
I mean, I only proposed
to Jenny -- What was it?
Two weeks ago,
or something?
Three weeks?
Jenny: Yeah.
I want to have wedding
photos under the water.
[Laughs]
Yeah.
To wear a dress
under the water
and, you know,
then, we can --How would that work?
I've never heard of
that being --
I really want to
do that.
[Laughs]
That's cool.
My thought is that
wedding photos should be
taken at the wedding.
It's not something
you do before
and stitch it up to make it
look like it's a wedding
'cause they've put on
the wedding dress
and the groomsman
puts on his suit.
But you're not
actually at a wedding,
so it means
it's not a real photo.
It's fake,
in that sense.
How much do you spend
on the photos?
I've got no idea,
to be honest.
Oh.
it wouldn't be that much,
I don't think.
Be like 1,000 quay?
I don't know.
Under the water, maybe.
[Laughing]
Oh, yeah.
It'd be more expensive.
Maybe, yeah.
It wouldn't be
too much.
2,000 or 3,000 quay?
What?!
No, not that cheap.
Oh, okay.
Not that cheap.
I can imagine
not that cheap.
How much?Like 20 to 30K.
Oh.
What?
[Indistinct chatter]
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[Metal tin clinks]
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[Liquid pours]
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[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
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[Plane engine roars]
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[Upbeat techno music playing]
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It's a nice room, right?
Pretty posh.
How about this bear?
♪♪
What's this for?
Little romantic.
♪♪
[Laughing]
Got him on a leash there.
[All speaking
foreign language]
Allen: [Whistling]
[Sighs]
[Whistling continues]
Hey, where's my tie?
[Laughs]
2:45.[Button clicks]
Now it's 2:49.
That's all right.
Fashionably late, right?
Except the stars are there,
so we should hurry up.
We gotta take pictures
with the stars, right?
It's important.
Okay.
Important for our brand,
important
for appearance.
I forgot.
Forgot?
Bow tie?
Yeah.
[Chuckles]
You look good.
It doesn't matter.
Well, --
[Stammers]
Maybe at the cars.
You had it in the car?
Allen:
Remember, last day,
we are at the fashion show
and the finish --
[Laughs]You took it off?
Yes.
Oh.
It's probably
in the van.
[Elevator chiming]
♪♪
[Camera shutters snapping]
Woman: Mr. Allen Shi,
Chairman of
Jiahao Investment Group.
Welcome.
Eric: I'd also like to
extend a very warm welcome
to our founder,
Shi Jiahao, Allen Shi.
He is the person that
made this all happen.
Allen's vision
is truly amazing.
From one small studio
to this,
and to worldwide
expansion.
Artiz Studio is where
dreams come true, where --
People, they come to
get their pictures taken,
and they become
a princess.
That's our slogan.
Choose Artiz Studio
to become a princess.
But we treat you
like a celebrity.
And if you don't
want to be a princess,
you can be a star.
If you don't want to be a star,
you can be anything you want,
and we give it to you.
That's what
makes us different.
♪♪
[Cheers and applause]
Woman:
Congratulations!
Wow!
Woman:
[Singing in foreign language]
♪♪
Delete this one.
[Indistinct chatter]
Delete this one.
That's a really nice
smile by me.
It doesn't happen
very often.Yeah. Delete it.
Delete.
Delete, delete.
You just hate the pose.
Delete.
Oh, come on.
You have to
keep this one.
No.
I hate this one.
Delete.
[Sighs]
But I love it.I don't like it.
Delete that one.
[Keys tapping][Scoffs]
Okay, yes.
Yes.
No, delete that one!
We're keeping this one.
No-- what?!
[Laughs]
Okay, delete it!
Come on.
This is a representation
of our real life.
No, it's not.
That is, okay?
Delete this one.
I don't like
this one at all.
There's not even one cell
in my body that likes it.
Go back to this one.
Why are you skipping it?
Because it's --
I'm picking that one.
I put my foot down here.
I want to be on the bicycle.
Viona: Delete.[Laughs]
Delete.It's begun.
Delete.
Ahh, this, ladies
and gentlemen --Delete.
I like this one.
Yes, I like it, too.
I like this one.I like this one.
Can you delete
this one, please?
But this one is --I don't like it!
It's okay, honey.
I got this.
This is adorable.
Delete this one, then.
We only need
one, right?
Yes.
Yeah, okay, cool.Oh, you get it.
Thank you.Yep, yep, yep.
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutters snapping]
Eric: My hopes when I came
to China was, uh...
stay here for a year
and see how it goes.
And so...
I think that's over.
Yeah, now it's
five years, and...
I think that, uh...
I think in the beginning,
at least for me --
in the beginning, um...
before I came here, I was like,
"Yeah, maybe one year."
And then, after about
a month, I was like,
"I really like it.
Like, I feel accustomed
to life here already."
And he always tells me,
"Oh, you're gonna get
so much money," and --
You know, he's good at
inspiring hope
and everything
in you, so...
The dream
is America, so...
Oh, it's China.
[Laughs]
Yeah, it's different.Just hit another city,
and you hit another
20 million people.
Our boss is
a big financial genius,
so I believe there is
a lot to learn from him.
Yes.
[Laughter]
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter][Camera shutters snapping]
[Laughter]
Woman: Ugh!
♪♪
Allen:
[Speaking foreign language]
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Eric: Born in Shanghai,
but when he was a kid,
he went to Dongbei Province
'cause the government
relocated his family.
His Mom was a teacher
and his father was
an engineer, I believe.
And he says he only had --
maybe six months of the year
had shoes,
Their house was too small
for his whole family.
They were sleeping
on the ground in the hallway.
Just eat rice every day.
Very poor.
Very -- Kind of
pitiful existence.
But he saw, you know --
he saw everything --
all the lights
in the big city of Shanghai.
This was, you know,
20 years ago.
And then, he wanted
the same thing
that everybody else
seemed to have, in his eyes,
and that's when he says
he kind of
saw his future
being different.
It was another kind of
epiphany for him, or --
"I don't want to worry about
loose change in the ground.
I want to do something more or
do something better."
And so, that was his goal.
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[Indistinct chatter]
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[Speaking
foreign language]
Yes.
Definitely in China.
Very bad in China.
Will: Getting married
is for the parents.
It's not
for the individuals.
Yes, it's not.
You've got to obey.
Is this
the Single Market?Yep.
So, all the matchmakers
are down there.
Where?
Generally, they all
wrap all around here.
It says,
"Shanghainese lady."
Was born in 1986,
working in the university
as a teacher.
Her parents say, "Happy to
give away apartment
if anyone wish
to marry her."
Basically, it's telling
everyone, you know,
how old...
the female is,
how tall, you know...
what's their career and
what they are looking for,
how much income
they're making.
This would be the last hope
they could ever come up with
because your parents promised
not to talk to you, like --
You know, if you ever know
you wouldn't get married,
well, probably wouldn't consider
to have you as a kid --
you know, for you to lose
the whole family's face.
[Band playing
upbeat string music]
"And look at you.
Don't you think
you're beautiful
or young or whatever?
Youth and beauty are gonna
leave you behind
and live a lonely life
forever, ever, ever."
♪♪
You know, love from
a daughter to a mother.
I mean, I was begging her
to believe me, okay?
"I'm gonna find
my happiness, okay?
No matter which way
I'm gonna use,
I will be able
to achieve something.
Just believe me, please.
I know it's been
a long time."
I'm making up
the stories.
You know,
I'm really someone.
You know,
"This guy, okay?"
I'm proving her
some of the background
of the guy
I'm seeing, okay?
To make her feel like
there's a hope there, okay?
Even though sometimes
50% of what I've said
is just a lie.
It almost hurt my feelings
a little bit,
my mom trying so hard
to push me.
It sometimes make me
even start to question,
"Does she really love me?"
♪♪
Will: The community
puts pressure on the mother.
When it comes to the girls,
the mother is the person
that guides them --
that, you know, tells them
what to do, essentially.
So, when she's
misbehaving,
the mother is also
reprimanded by society.
So you think that,
"Oh, wow.
These mothers, they're going
pretty extreme."
But if you can,
imagine a society
that's pressing down
the mother first,
and she's handing that over
to the daughter.
[Laughs]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
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[Distant car horn honking]
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Object shuffles]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Indistinct music
playing over speakers]
[Laughs]
[Laughter]
[Laughs]
♪♪
[Motors rumbling]
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[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Applause]
[Dramatic music plays
over speakers]
[Music stops]
[Objects shuffling]
Allen: [Speaking
foreign language]
Woman: [ Speaking in foreign
language over P.A.]
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[Speaking in foreign language]
[Camera shutter clicks]
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[Indistinct chatter in distance]
[Jenny groans]
[Laughing, shivering]
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Okay.
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[Camera shutter clicking]
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[Bottle spraying]
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Olivia: Can you
ask her why?
Interpreter:
[Speaking in foreign language]
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[Indistinct chatter]
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[Birds chirping]
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[Popping]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Shouting]
[Shouting, laughing]
[Laughing]
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[Popping]
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[Honks]
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[Honks]
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[Laughing]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Group singing "Bridal Chorus"]
[Camera shutter clicks]
[Speaking in foreign
language, laughing]
[Knocks on door]
[Group exclaiming]
[Group cheering]
[Singing "Bridal Chorus"]
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[Laughing]
[Laughing]
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[Knocks on door]
[Group laughing]
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[Camera shutters click]
[Indistinct chatter]
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[Dog barking]
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Interpreter: At the end of '80s,
beginning of '90s,
they start to do
wedding photos.
Olivia: Did she feel
like she missed out?
[Speaking in
foreign language]
Olivia: How is Viona
going in Darwin?
♪♪
[Laptop ringing]
[Ringing stops]
Olivia: Hello!
'Sup?
Aww. Hello.
Hello.
Why exactly did you leave China?
Well, at least my mom
is not here.
Yeah, mom even said,
you know,
"Oh, you've been putting
on so much weight
and you're not
having the baby yet.
Will's gonna
dump you."
You know?
Oh, yeah.
"He hasn't brought you
back to Australia yet.
You're not married, like,
legally in Australia."
How do you perceive
the pressure on Viona?
Well, it's definitely
a big attack on her
self-esteem,
so it's a sense
of hopelessness
in Viona's case.
You know,
she loves her mother,
You know, she takes
her mother very seriously,
takes her advice
on board.
And so when someone
so close and dear to you
says, you know,
not the nicest things
to you, or, you know,
I guess, pokes you in
certain pain points,
it's very hard to --
So, be more specific, Will.
What sort of things
were being said?
Like, what was
the reaction?
Oh, just, like,
you know,
"What are you
doing with your time?"
Like, "You're not doing what
you're supposed to be doing."
You know?
"You're not completing
your next task."
"You're not taking it
seriously enough."
Yeah.
♪♪
[Speaking in foreign language]
This is, like
"Happiness industry.
Culture of globalization."
This is "stand at
the height of the world,"
or "top of the world."
♪♪
Bohden: Allen's not content
with just the Chinese market.
He wants to be an
international company.
He wants to be known.
He wants face.
He wants "mian dui."
He always says --
"Face is most important."
[Laughing]
Bohden: Thanks
a lot for that.
Okay.
Olivia: What are you
doing with those?
Put them in this bag
and put them somewhere.
It's okay.
No problem.
[Groans]
No problem.
Okay.
[Indistinct conversation]
Bohden:
I think of course, he wants
a better image for himself.
but on the other hand,
this is the image he gives
to everybody, so...
He's a very public figure.
He's the face of the company,
and he's just very
protective of his image.
He just doesn't want
anybody to really
know anything about him
besides what he controls.
Okay. Okay.
I think Alan would
love to be himself
around you or the public
or anybody else,
but he's just worried
about his image.
He's worried about --
You know, if he portrays
himself as soft to you,
then what about his employees?
Are they going to think
he's soft as well?
He kind of rules with
an iron fist at times,
and I think he wants
to maintain his status.
[Speaking in distance]
Woman: Ladies and gentlemen,
please give a warm welcome
to the chairman
of Jiahao Group --
Mr. Allen Shi.
[Applause]
[Applause]
[Upbeat music plays]
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[Speaking in foreign language]
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Viona: I think for
normal Chinese woman,
after you got married,
the pressure will be reduced,
but for me,
it actually increased.
Okay, the thing is, after
I got married, everyone's like,
"Oh, have you given birth
to babies yet?"
And 'cause I'm at this
very embarrassing age
and everyone's like,
"Oh, so you just got
married, and you know,
you haven't given birth yet.
Oh, so are you planning
in the next two years?
If you come into our company,
you've got to sign
this contract saying
you're not going to give
birth in the next two years."
All these sort of things.
It's very stressing.
Olivia: Have you got
sort of like a strategy
of how to to not let
the pressure affect you?
I don't.
Sorry, I got
so emotional. [Sniffles]
Oh, honey.
Man: Someone get a tissue.
Do you feel scared
to go back?
'Cause of the pressure
that -- yeah.
But I have to
follow Will.
He's a little bit
worried about you.
Uh...
Yeah.
But there are things I have
to face myself, there.
And has your mum taken
a bit more pressure
off you recently?
Um.
Mum's not
pushing anymore. Yeah.
Oh, how did
that change?
'Cause when I had that
Skype interview,
it seemed like it was
still quite strong.
Um...
It's, um...
[Voice breaking]
Mum doesn't want to put
extra pressure, cause...
Yeah.
It's actually
affecting my health.
♪♪
Viona: When I came
to Australia, I find
"This is cool."
You know, you have
a lot of space
and you know,
nobody's actually
trying so hard to put
their thoughts on you.
There's no pressure.
You know, the trees
can't give you pressure.
Yeah, so, it feels like
you're free again,
but with less people, there's
less opportunities as well.
I think I have to compromise
freedom at this point of time.
Yeah, 'cause I compared
the opportunity
with the freedom,
and I think opportunity
actually means more now.
♪♪
I had those dream about,
you know, when we come here
and he will find something here
and we will settle down.
That's how I expected
things to go.
I would be much happier
if that actually happened,
and I really feel the pressure
of getting older,
just because I'm approaching 30.
That's why I can't really
take the failure.
Strong women,
they wouldn't follow
what the society want them
to do, and I'm mixed.
I wanted to be like that,
and I also wanted to do it
in a traditional way.
That's why my life
has been so tough.
♪♪
I just want to live
my life, for once.
♪♪
I was thinking
about this documentary.
They will be like, "Oh,
look at this Chinese woman
just betrayed all of us
and told the world
the truth and stuff."
♪♪
Maybe you shouldn't tell --
You should stop our story
at our wedding day,
not telling people what's
happened after the wedding.
See that happy ending
and stuff.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Speaking in foreign language]
[Speaking in foreign language]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Woman: You live
in a different world.
Not a world of words...
but of things
that you cannot express.
♪♪
[Camera shutters clicking]
♪♪
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
♪♪
Mweh!
♪♪
Olivia: In the world's
largest megacity,
it is often the public spaces
that reveal the stories.
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
Olivia: As a photographer
living in Shanghai,
I found myself drawn
to the dreamlike
photo shoots
on the streets around me.
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
Olivia:
I wanted to understand why
everyone had a pre-wedding shoot
well before
their actual wedding.
♪♪
Whose fantasy was it,
and why was it so deeply
important to everyone?
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
Olivia: I only had to
look back one generation
to start finding answers.
[Speaking
foreign language]
Olivia:
Only 40 years ago,
marriages were arranged
by family or the state.
Wedding photos
consisted of one
black and white
passport-sized photo
and served primarily
as proof of the marriage.
[Camera shutters snapping]
Now, the wedding industry
in China
is worth over $80 billion.
♪♪
Stepping into this
fairytale wonderland,
I found a new respect
for the power of photography
as I watched the camera
help a nation
build new memories and dreams.
♪♪
Before I knew it,
I had opened a doorway
into a much broader
understanding of China,
the country
I now call home.
Man:
[Rapping in foreign language]
♪♪
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
Okay, let's get him
sitting down there,
and we'll ask
some questions.
Xuezhong: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[All speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
[Camera shutter snaps]
[Speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
[Laughs]
♪♪
[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
Man: [Laughs]
♪♪
[Camera shutters snapping][Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
♪♪
Aww.
♪♪
[Sighs]
♪♪
If I didn't meet Will,
I would never marry someone
I don't love.
That's never gonna happen
no matter how hard
people push me.
♪♪
My mom always tells me,
"The only thing
is study hard.
Get the highest score
in your class.
That's how you show others
you're the best."
[Sighs]
That actually give me
that competitive sense.
From a young age,
I need to finish the task
one by one --
the priorities.
So I actually set
finding true love
as the first task
I need to finish.
[Indistinct chatter]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[Camera shutter snapping]
♪♪
Han Pan: [Speaking
foreign language]
Man: Okay.
Han Pan: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
How you feel?
Huh?
Say something.
The dreams are
coming true.
Okay, you know,
one, two, three,
four, five...
[Laughs]Seven people
watching you.
Oh, yeah.
They're pressure,
though.
[Laughs]
I was born for this.
[Laughter]
You can't look better
than me, okay?
Okay.
[Indistinct chatter]
♪ Hey, hey
♪♪
[Laughter]
[Camera beeps]
[Shutter snaps]
[Laughing]
[Camera shutter snaps]
Viona: Compared to
our mother generation,
most of them didn't have,
like... [Indistinct]
That's why, all the women,
they've been dying to
have those photos
for a long, long time.
So, they actually put
all the hope towards us.
That's why we're taking
this responsibility, okay?
To present my beauty
and my mother's beauty
[Laughs] and my
grandmother's beauty.
♪♪
Yes, because that's
the only time
they are that close
to their dream, okay?
After the wedding photos,
they are done.
[Laughs] They're back
to the reality, okay?
They got to
wash the rice
and do all the cleaning.
That's it, okay?
But once, you were
that close to your dream,
your destination,
which is there, okay?
You were almost
touching it, and you left.
That's okay.Olivia:
What is the dream?
The dream is to be
wealthy and happy.
Dressed like that,
doing nothing.
[Laughing]
[Motor rumbling][Brakes hiss]
[Camera shutters snapping]
♪♪
[Laughter]
[Objects shuffling]
♪♪
Li: [Speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
♪♪
[Camera shutters snapping]
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Camera beeping]
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Camera shutters snapping]
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Camera shutters snapping]
Li: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutter snaps]
♪♪
[Laughs]
♪♪
♪♪
[Camera shutter snapping]
♪♪
♪♪
Olivia: I can see a taxi.
Let's get that one.
Yeah, I'm getting in.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Men rapping in foreign
language]
[Gears whirring]
♪♪
Hey.
♪♪
Yeah, long time,
no see.
[Indistinct chatter]
But you look good!
[Laughs]You look fresh.
[Laughter]
♪♪
Eric:
He's the wedding king.
Like, he's the Godfather
of the wedding industry.
You know,
he sells happiness.
♪♪
Woman: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Speaking
foreign language]
Don't go.
Don't go home.Olivia:
You keep going?
Olivia: Every year?Every year.
Ah.
Just, I --
I --
Really, we are...
Hmm.
At my mind, always.
Just the ten name
at my mind.
Always just the ten.And not ten cars.
Not ten cars.
Three cars.
The three car,
and the money,
and the cash,
and like this, maybe.
Now, what does
that represent?
The lapel pin?
I introduce for you.
Okay.
And when he says cash --
I told you the big checks,
but also, big stacks
of cash, too.
♪♪
Allen: [Speaking foreign
language throughout]
Olivia: Sit?
Let's sit.
What do you think
the difference is
between the Chinese dream
and the American dream?
[Inhales]
I think it's the same dream.
The same.
Everyone want to...
He told me yesterday --
He said, "When you're poor,
your dream is to
have money, right?
And then, when you have
money, you dream is --
It could be
anything, really.
Now you have money, you can
do anything you want.
So, whatever your dream is,
you can accomplish it.
But when you're poor,
your only dream
is to get money
and be successful.
No poor person.
Just a poor man.
Hmm.
He don't know
how to make money.
I can change everyone,
if I want.
And how do you feel
about that, Eric?
[Laughs]
Eric?
He says
there's one road.
You tell them --
Right?
One road.
Just follow him,
and I can be successful --
Or anybody can, really.
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughing]
[Speaking foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[Camera shutters snapping]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
[Laughs]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughs]
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughs]
♪♪
[Chuckles]
♪♪
Oooh!
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughs]
♪♪
[Motor whining]
♪♪
♪♪
David: We haven't
actually set a date.
I mean, I only proposed
to Jenny -- What was it?
Two weeks ago,
or something?
Three weeks?
Jenny: Yeah.
I want to have wedding
photos under the water.
[Laughs]
Yeah.
To wear a dress
under the water
and, you know,
then, we can --How would that work?
I've never heard of
that being --
I really want to
do that.
[Laughs]
That's cool.
My thought is that
wedding photos should be
taken at the wedding.
It's not something
you do before
and stitch it up to make it
look like it's a wedding
'cause they've put on
the wedding dress
and the groomsman
puts on his suit.
But you're not
actually at a wedding,
so it means
it's not a real photo.
It's fake,
in that sense.
How much do you spend
on the photos?
I've got no idea,
to be honest.
Oh.
it wouldn't be that much,
I don't think.
Be like 1,000 quay?
I don't know.
Under the water, maybe.
[Laughing]
Oh, yeah.
It'd be more expensive.
Maybe, yeah.
It wouldn't be
too much.
2,000 or 3,000 quay?
What?!
No, not that cheap.
Oh, okay.
Not that cheap.
I can imagine
not that cheap.
How much?Like 20 to 30K.
Oh.
What?
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Metal tin clinks]
♪♪
[Liquid pours]
♪♪
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Plane engine roars]
♪♪
[Upbeat techno music playing]
♪♪
It's a nice room, right?
Pretty posh.
How about this bear?
♪♪
What's this for?
Little romantic.
♪♪
[Laughing]
Got him on a leash there.
[All speaking
foreign language]
Allen: [Whistling]
[Sighs]
[Whistling continues]
Hey, where's my tie?
[Laughs]
2:45.[Button clicks]
Now it's 2:49.
That's all right.
Fashionably late, right?
Except the stars are there,
so we should hurry up.
We gotta take pictures
with the stars, right?
It's important.
Okay.
Important for our brand,
important
for appearance.
I forgot.
Forgot?
Bow tie?
Yeah.
[Chuckles]
You look good.
It doesn't matter.
Well, --
[Stammers]
Maybe at the cars.
You had it in the car?
Allen:
Remember, last day,
we are at the fashion show
and the finish --
[Laughs]You took it off?
Yes.
Oh.
It's probably
in the van.
[Elevator chiming]
♪♪
[Camera shutters snapping]
Woman: Mr. Allen Shi,
Chairman of
Jiahao Investment Group.
Welcome.
Eric: I'd also like to
extend a very warm welcome
to our founder,
Shi Jiahao, Allen Shi.
He is the person that
made this all happen.
Allen's vision
is truly amazing.
From one small studio
to this,
and to worldwide
expansion.
Artiz Studio is where
dreams come true, where --
People, they come to
get their pictures taken,
and they become
a princess.
That's our slogan.
Choose Artiz Studio
to become a princess.
But we treat you
like a celebrity.
And if you don't
want to be a princess,
you can be a star.
If you don't want to be a star,
you can be anything you want,
and we give it to you.
That's what
makes us different.
♪♪
[Cheers and applause]
Woman:
Congratulations!
Wow!
Woman:
[Singing in foreign language]
♪♪
Delete this one.
[Indistinct chatter]
Delete this one.
That's a really nice
smile by me.
It doesn't happen
very often.Yeah. Delete it.
Delete.
Delete, delete.
You just hate the pose.
Delete.
Oh, come on.
You have to
keep this one.
No.
I hate this one.
Delete.
[Sighs]
But I love it.I don't like it.
Delete that one.
[Keys tapping][Scoffs]
Okay, yes.
Yes.
No, delete that one!
We're keeping this one.
No-- what?!
[Laughs]
Okay, delete it!
Come on.
This is a representation
of our real life.
No, it's not.
That is, okay?
Delete this one.
I don't like
this one at all.
There's not even one cell
in my body that likes it.
Go back to this one.
Why are you skipping it?
Because it's --
I'm picking that one.
I put my foot down here.
I want to be on the bicycle.
Viona: Delete.[Laughs]
Delete.It's begun.
Delete.
Ahh, this, ladies
and gentlemen --Delete.
I like this one.
Yes, I like it, too.
I like this one.I like this one.
Can you delete
this one, please?
But this one is --I don't like it!
It's okay, honey.
I got this.
This is adorable.
Delete this one, then.
We only need
one, right?
Yes.
Yeah, okay, cool.Oh, you get it.
Thank you.Yep, yep, yep.
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Camera shutters snapping]
Eric: My hopes when I came
to China was, uh...
stay here for a year
and see how it goes.
And so...
I think that's over.
Yeah, now it's
five years, and...
I think that, uh...
I think in the beginning,
at least for me --
in the beginning, um...
before I came here, I was like,
"Yeah, maybe one year."
And then, after about
a month, I was like,
"I really like it.
Like, I feel accustomed
to life here already."
And he always tells me,
"Oh, you're gonna get
so much money," and --
You know, he's good at
inspiring hope
and everything
in you, so...
The dream
is America, so...
Oh, it's China.
[Laughs]
Yeah, it's different.Just hit another city,
and you hit another
20 million people.
Our boss is
a big financial genius,
so I believe there is
a lot to learn from him.
Yes.
[Laughter]
Man: [Speaking
foreign language]
[Indistinct chatter][Camera shutters snapping]
[Laughter]
Woman: Ugh!
♪♪
Allen:
[Speaking foreign language]
♪♪
Eric: Born in Shanghai,
but when he was a kid,
he went to Dongbei Province
'cause the government
relocated his family.
His Mom was a teacher
and his father was
an engineer, I believe.
And he says he only had --
maybe six months of the year
had shoes,
Their house was too small
for his whole family.
They were sleeping
on the ground in the hallway.
Just eat rice every day.
Very poor.
Very -- Kind of
pitiful existence.
But he saw, you know --
he saw everything --
all the lights
in the big city of Shanghai.
This was, you know,
20 years ago.
And then, he wanted
the same thing
that everybody else
seemed to have, in his eyes,
and that's when he says
he kind of
saw his future
being different.
It was another kind of
epiphany for him, or --
"I don't want to worry about
loose change in the ground.
I want to do something more or
do something better."
And so, that was his goal.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[Speaking
foreign language]
Yes.
Definitely in China.
Very bad in China.
Will: Getting married
is for the parents.
It's not
for the individuals.
Yes, it's not.
You've got to obey.
Is this
the Single Market?Yep.
So, all the matchmakers
are down there.
Where?
Generally, they all
wrap all around here.
It says,
"Shanghainese lady."
Was born in 1986,
working in the university
as a teacher.
Her parents say, "Happy to
give away apartment
if anyone wish
to marry her."
Basically, it's telling
everyone, you know,
how old...
the female is,
how tall, you know...
what's their career and
what they are looking for,
how much income
they're making.
This would be the last hope
they could ever come up with
because your parents promised
not to talk to you, like --
You know, if you ever know
you wouldn't get married,
well, probably wouldn't consider
to have you as a kid --
you know, for you to lose
the whole family's face.
[Band playing
upbeat string music]
"And look at you.
Don't you think
you're beautiful
or young or whatever?
Youth and beauty are gonna
leave you behind
and live a lonely life
forever, ever, ever."
♪♪
You know, love from
a daughter to a mother.
I mean, I was begging her
to believe me, okay?
"I'm gonna find
my happiness, okay?
No matter which way
I'm gonna use,
I will be able
to achieve something.
Just believe me, please.
I know it's been
a long time."
I'm making up
the stories.
You know,
I'm really someone.
You know,
"This guy, okay?"
I'm proving her
some of the background
of the guy
I'm seeing, okay?
To make her feel like
there's a hope there, okay?
Even though sometimes
50% of what I've said
is just a lie.
It almost hurt my feelings
a little bit,
my mom trying so hard
to push me.
It sometimes make me
even start to question,
"Does she really love me?"
♪♪
Will: The community
puts pressure on the mother.
When it comes to the girls,
the mother is the person
that guides them --
that, you know, tells them
what to do, essentially.
So, when she's
misbehaving,
the mother is also
reprimanded by society.
So you think that,
"Oh, wow.
These mothers, they're going
pretty extreme."
But if you can,
imagine a society
that's pressing down
the mother first,
and she's handing that over
to the daughter.
[Laughs]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Distant car horn honking]
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Object shuffles]
[Both speaking
foreign language]
[Laughs]
[Indistinct music
playing over speakers]
[Laughs]
[Laughter]
[Laughs]
♪♪
[Motors rumbling]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
[All speaking
foreign language]
[Applause]
[Dramatic music plays
over speakers]
[Music stops]
[Objects shuffling]
Allen: [Speaking
foreign language]
Woman: [ Speaking in foreign
language over P.A.]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Speaking in foreign language]
[Camera shutter clicks]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter in distance]
[Jenny groans]
[Laughing, shivering]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Okay.
♪♪
[Camera shutter clicking]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Bottle spraying]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Olivia: Can you
ask her why?
Interpreter:
[Speaking in foreign language]
♪♪
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
♪♪
[Birds chirping]
♪♪
[Popping]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Shouting]
[Shouting, laughing]
[Laughing]
♪♪
♪♪
[Popping]
♪♪
♪♪
[Honks]
♪♪
[Honks]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughing]
[Indistinct chatter]
[Group singing "Bridal Chorus"]
[Camera shutter clicks]
[Speaking in foreign
language, laughing]
[Knocks on door]
[Group exclaiming]
[Group cheering]
[Singing "Bridal Chorus"]
♪♪
♪♪
[Laughing]
[Laughing]
♪♪
[Knocks on door]
[Group laughing]
♪♪
[Camera shutters click]
[Indistinct chatter]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
[Dog barking]
♪♪
Interpreter: At the end of '80s,
beginning of '90s,
they start to do
wedding photos.
Olivia: Did she feel
like she missed out?
[Speaking in
foreign language]
Olivia: How is Viona
going in Darwin?
♪♪
[Laptop ringing]
[Ringing stops]
Olivia: Hello!
'Sup?
Aww. Hello.
Hello.
Why exactly did you leave China?
Well, at least my mom
is not here.
Yeah, mom even said,
you know,
"Oh, you've been putting
on so much weight
and you're not
having the baby yet.
Will's gonna
dump you."
You know?
Oh, yeah.
"He hasn't brought you
back to Australia yet.
You're not married, like,
legally in Australia."
How do you perceive
the pressure on Viona?
Well, it's definitely
a big attack on her
self-esteem,
so it's a sense
of hopelessness
in Viona's case.
You know,
she loves her mother,
You know, she takes
her mother very seriously,
takes her advice
on board.
And so when someone
so close and dear to you
says, you know,
not the nicest things
to you, or, you know,
I guess, pokes you in
certain pain points,
it's very hard to --
So, be more specific, Will.
What sort of things
were being said?
Like, what was
the reaction?
Oh, just, like,
you know,
"What are you
doing with your time?"
Like, "You're not doing what
you're supposed to be doing."
You know?
"You're not completing
your next task."
"You're not taking it
seriously enough."
Yeah.
♪♪
[Speaking in foreign language]
This is, like
"Happiness industry.
Culture of globalization."
This is "stand at
the height of the world,"
or "top of the world."
♪♪
Bohden: Allen's not content
with just the Chinese market.
He wants to be an
international company.
He wants to be known.
He wants face.
He wants "mian dui."
He always says --
"Face is most important."
[Laughing]
Bohden: Thanks
a lot for that.
Okay.
Olivia: What are you
doing with those?
Put them in this bag
and put them somewhere.
It's okay.
No problem.
[Groans]
No problem.
Okay.
[Indistinct conversation]
Bohden:
I think of course, he wants
a better image for himself.
but on the other hand,
this is the image he gives
to everybody, so...
He's a very public figure.
He's the face of the company,
and he's just very
protective of his image.
He just doesn't want
anybody to really
know anything about him
besides what he controls.
Okay. Okay.
I think Alan would
love to be himself
around you or the public
or anybody else,
but he's just worried
about his image.
He's worried about --
You know, if he portrays
himself as soft to you,
then what about his employees?
Are they going to think
he's soft as well?
He kind of rules with
an iron fist at times,
and I think he wants
to maintain his status.
[Speaking in distance]
Woman: Ladies and gentlemen,
please give a warm welcome
to the chairman
of Jiahao Group --
Mr. Allen Shi.
[Applause]
[Applause]
[Upbeat music plays]
♪♪
[Speaking in foreign language]
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
Viona: I think for
normal Chinese woman,
after you got married,
the pressure will be reduced,
but for me,
it actually increased.
Okay, the thing is, after
I got married, everyone's like,
"Oh, have you given birth
to babies yet?"
And 'cause I'm at this
very embarrassing age
and everyone's like,
"Oh, so you just got
married, and you know,
you haven't given birth yet.
Oh, so are you planning
in the next two years?
If you come into our company,
you've got to sign
this contract saying
you're not going to give
birth in the next two years."
All these sort of things.
It's very stressing.
Olivia: Have you got
sort of like a strategy
of how to to not let
the pressure affect you?
I don't.
Sorry, I got
so emotional. [Sniffles]
Oh, honey.
Man: Someone get a tissue.
Do you feel scared
to go back?
'Cause of the pressure
that -- yeah.
But I have to
follow Will.
He's a little bit
worried about you.
Uh...
Yeah.
But there are things I have
to face myself, there.
And has your mum taken
a bit more pressure
off you recently?
Um.
Mum's not
pushing anymore. Yeah.
Oh, how did
that change?
'Cause when I had that
Skype interview,
it seemed like it was
still quite strong.
Um...
It's, um...
[Voice breaking]
Mum doesn't want to put
extra pressure, cause...
Yeah.
It's actually
affecting my health.
♪♪
Viona: When I came
to Australia, I find
"This is cool."
You know, you have
a lot of space
and you know,
nobody's actually
trying so hard to put
their thoughts on you.
There's no pressure.
You know, the trees
can't give you pressure.
Yeah, so, it feels like
you're free again,
but with less people, there's
less opportunities as well.
I think I have to compromise
freedom at this point of time.
Yeah, 'cause I compared
the opportunity
with the freedom,
and I think opportunity
actually means more now.
♪♪
I had those dream about,
you know, when we come here
and he will find something here
and we will settle down.
That's how I expected
things to go.
I would be much happier
if that actually happened,
and I really feel the pressure
of getting older,
just because I'm approaching 30.
That's why I can't really
take the failure.
Strong women,
they wouldn't follow
what the society want them
to do, and I'm mixed.
I wanted to be like that,
and I also wanted to do it
in a traditional way.
That's why my life
has been so tough.
♪♪
I just want to live
my life, for once.
♪♪
I was thinking
about this documentary.
They will be like, "Oh,
look at this Chinese woman
just betrayed all of us
and told the world
the truth and stuff."
♪♪
Maybe you shouldn't tell --
You should stop our story
at our wedding day,
not telling people what's
happened after the wedding.
See that happy ending
and stuff.
♪♪
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[Speaking in foreign language]
[Speaking in foreign language]
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♪♪
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♪♪
[Rapping in foreign language]
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