LION

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Lunar New Year is often framed as spectacle and celebration, a season of prosperity, reunion, and joy. Yet for many second-generation members of the (South) East Asian diaspora, it can also carry something more complex: silence, distance, and the weight of inherited histories.The lion dance within LION embodies the complex stages of self-discovery, reconnection, and integration of identity. It is a celebration of heritage, a reclaiming of childhood memories, and a recognition that cultural expression is not fixed but continuously unfolding. Through ritual, the project cultivates reflection, joy, and cultural pride, reclaiming stories that have long been unspoken.

Content warning: noise sensitivity

Nastassia Winge Tan is an emerging film director with a distinctive cinematic voice. Born in the Netherlands with roots that trace back to China and Indonesia. She approaches storytelling with a rare sensitivity to narrative, identity, and cross-cultural expression allowing her to craft purpose-driven stories that resonate on multiple levels. She fuses visual storytelling with cultural critique, experimental aesthetics, and thoughtful composition.

Producers: Vyvy Ly, Ravi Amaratunga-Hitchcock

Writer: Nastassia Winge Tan

Created by: Nastassia Winge Tan & Annie Chiu-Giang

DoP: Lenny Lu

Movement Director: Leonarda Lovrekovic

Editor: Leda Zhang

1st AD: Kevin Fung

Composer & Sound Design: Yuka Otsuki

Wardrobe & Design: Juliana Miguéis

Grading: Milton Broen

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