Anachronistic Film Blurs Past, Present in Chinatown

Connor Warnick's debut film, "Characters Disappearing," masterfully employs anachronisms to explore temporal porousness. Shot in 2022, the film is set in the 1970s Chinatown, featuring modern elements like cars and masks juxtaposed with the period setting. This stylistic choice, far from a budget constraint, serves as a special effect, illustrating a past haunted by its future and vice-versa.

The narrative centers on cousins Mei and Chris, navigating their lives in Chinatown. Mei seeks purpose within the radical Marxist group I Wor Kuen, while Chris retreats into spiritual practices and studies longevity. Their personal journeys are framed against the backdrop of organized crime, federal agents, and a neighborhood poised between its immigrant roots and gentrification.

Warnick's directorial style, influenced by slow cinema auteurs, is characterized by deliberate pacing and minimal camera movement. This restrained approach immerses the audience in the film's contemplative atmosphere, highlighting the characters' internal struggles and the palpable sense of stasis. The film explores themes of displacement, identity, and the weight of history.

Chris's fascination with his grandfather's book on the 250-year-old herbalist Li Ching-Yuen leads him to adopt extreme spiritual practices. This sub-plot further underscores the film's exploration of time and existence. The film concludes with a direct homage to Tsai Ming-Liang's "What Time Is It There?", reinforcing its engagement with cinematic legacies and temporal complexity.