IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE

IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE is a surreal experimental short film that uses symbolism and layered narrative to explore the profound struggle between faith, desire, and death.

The storyboard I created for the part where Wenzhao first encounters the prostitute.

It is about a woman devoted to faith and redemption embarks on an absurd journey, seeking purity and release in death, confronting the collapse of self and belief.

Overview

IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE is a surrealist experimental short film that traces a woman’s descent into self-destruction as she embarks on a journey in search of faith. Centering on the protagonist Wenzhao, the film presents her fixation on purity and redemption. Wenzhao believes that death is the only path to sanctity, requiring her to undergo a sacrificial purification to reach the “snowy mountain” that symbolizes absolute purity. Yet, this pilgrimage is far from the salvation she envisions. Along the way, she encounters characters representing various crises of faith: the driver, who worships knowledge, succumbs to inner corruption and self-destruction; the prostitute, striving to embody purity by absorbing the world's evils, ultimately collapses in despair. These figures not only bear witness to Wenzhao’s journey but also reflect facets of her own psyche, suggesting that her path of faith is an endless cycle of self-consumption.

Through layered symbolism and nonlinear storytelling, the film explores how faith can shift from pursuit to constraint, leading Wenzhao toward endless destruction. Her obsession with purification ultimately causes her faith to collapse, revealing her “god” as merely a projection of her inner self. IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE immerses viewers in a profound philosophical reflection, questioning whether faith and self can coexist, or if at the end of such devotion lies only emptiness.

Artist/Director's statement

I am captivated by humanity’s longing and pursuit of faith, and IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE seeks to portray the fragility and absurdity of this pursuit through an audacious audiovisual language. The film does not merely depict the collapse of faith but probes how individuals project their fears, desires, and aspirations onto a hollow ideal of sanctity. Through Wenzhao, I aim to reveal a philosophical paradox:
does one lose oneself in the obsession with faith? Her devotion and her destruction are but two faces of the same existential quest.

This work is deeply influenced by existentialist philosophy, particularly Nietzsche’s notion that “Eternal Recurrence.” Wenzhao’s pilgrimage is not a path to salvation but a descent into a dual trial of faith and self. Her encounters with the driver and the prostitute represent the splintering of faith across desire, flesh, and soul. Each character is not a separate entity but an embodiment of Wenzhao’s inner fears and desires. Through these symbols, I seek to explore whether humanity can find itself in its obsession with faith, or whether faith itself becomes a catalyst for self-annihilation.

Is faith merely a construct of our illusions and delusions? As we chase an ideal of purity, are we in fact consumed by our own desires and fears?
I believe that in questioning faith the meaning of existence, we confront our own inherent contradictions, which ultimately propel us toward an endless void.

IN ABSENCE OF THE DIVINE_Trailer from qianmu on Vimeo.

Note: This version was quickly produced by an outsourced editor and is not the final version.
The director's cut will integrate new creations combining AI and live-action footage using tools like Luma and Runway, scheduled for completion in the first half of 2025.

Credits

Writer and Director
Qian Mu

Producer
Yi Feng

Executive Producer
Letian Dong

Line Producer
Zhendong Liang

Location Manager
Zhi Dong

Director of Photography
Erjie Song

Camera Operator
Yu Liu

Focus Puller
Yuxiang Li

Gaffer
Zhipeng Ye

Best Boy
Wenpeng Li

Sound Designer
Changpeng Li

Boom Operator
Ruge Wen

Production Designer
Shanqin Ke

Set Dressing
Yi Yuan

Makeup Artist
Hao Deng

Editor
Lei Zhang/Bin Zhu

Script Supervisor
Xiaosu Liu

Cast
Tong Zeng
Yulin Zhang
Yuhan Jiang
Zhi Dong

Index