The Courtesan and the Female Scholar (2021)

An interesting concept. Could have been explored a little more.

This short film got off to a solid start. We can assume the scholar's reason for crossdressing and the actor does a fantastic job of showing her nervousness as she tries to keep a safe distance from the courtesan's advances, lest her secret be discovered. The courtesan meanwhile exudes so much natural charm; she is able to convey every unspoken thought with a single look, making it easy to understand her motives. I think maybe the scholar did too good of a job keeping her feelings in check because I wasn't entirely convinced by the end that she reciprocated the clear attraction the courtesan was putting on full display.

The subtle way the courtesan learns of the scholar's secret and how she processes it is a nice touch for a delicate subject, the handling of which is something I personally appreciate. Admittedly, I wish there had been at least another scene or two between here and the ending to provide more context for the lead up to the reveal, especially because the ending kind of lost me. Instead of repeated shots of the characters running into each other's arms - which felt like unnecessary filler despite being pretty to look at - the story would have benefited from perhaps a little more tension between the two, a moment where the scholar realizes and accepts her own feelings, or even a scene showing how and why the scholar decides to entrust the truth to the courtesan.

As it stands, the final shot is gorgeous and it's a nice short story despite my nitpicks.

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