Parallel World

The special bond between filmmaker Mei-ling Hsiao and her daughter, who has Asperger syndrome, is meticulously recorded over a period of 12 years. As a result, we see Xiang Yun/Elodie grow from a creative girl into a young adult preparing for a career as a pâtissier. This means leaving her mother in Taiwan and moving to France, where her father lives, and where there is better training. But the distance between mother and daughter puts a strain on their relationship.

Making Parallel World, a sequel to Somewhere over the Cloud (2007), is Hsiao’s way of dealing with her daughter’s absence. This time she explores Xiang Yun’s entire youth by incorporating video from her childhood. This long span of time produces a very complete picture: by seeing where she has come from, we gain a greater understanding of Xiang Yun and her disorder. The extended scenes in this frank account cleverly enable the viewer to empathize with both the painful tensions and the loving bond between mother and daughter.