Xinyue
Kang
Welcome to my website! On the right, you’ll find my work—feel free to contact me.
Xinyue
Kang
Welcome to my website! On the right, you’ll find my work—feel free to contact me.
Director, 2023, Hangzhou
Special Thanks: Saron Zhu
Supported by - Cecilia Sun, Qiushi Zhu, Miaomiao Yu, Leverrier Yu
Reviews:
Saron with Manicured Nails
By Li Changchen
After watching Saron by Kang Xinyue at Yungu’s Black Box Theater, I can say this is the best documentary I’ve seen this year.
The film unfolds chronologically, capturing several moments from Zhu Zhetian’s college application season. A significant portion consists of conversations between Kang Xinyue and Zhu Zhetian. Kang Xinyue remarked that they had chosen the right person—no doubt about it.
The protagonist of this story is Zhu Zhetian. Back then, we used to call them “Dapao.” Why? I don’t remember. In middle school, we had a public speaking project in our Chinese class, and their speech left the deepest impression on me. They talked about how, upon entering Yun Valley Middle School, the first thing they questioned was why the girls’ uniforms only included skirts and not pants. Even in middle school, Zhu Zhetian’s self-awareness and curiosity about the world caught my attention.
In the film, now a high school graduate, Zhu Zhetian still carries that same curiosity and dissatisfaction.
They speak candidly about their past thoughts—how they once believed that classmates who put in effort but had similar grades to theirs must not be very smart. Now, they acknowledge the importance of hard work and have started studying diligently themself.
They feel that their time in high school should have ended long ago, stating that they never found validation in the high school evaluation system.
They also reflect on their shifting interests—from an early passion for art and design to their current love for mathematics. They find joy in understanding a new concept each day. “Why does my starting point always have to be about influencing or benefiting others?” they wonder.
They don’t seek the spotlight or aspire to be the “ideal child” that neighbors praise. Yet, they also dislike loneliness. They hope to find like-minded companions to fight alongside them, “but those people seem so far away.”
These changes, struggles, and reflections aren’t unique to Zhu Zhetian—they resonate with all young people. The growing pains of deep thinkers are especially intense. When other teenagers watch this film, they won’t feel alone.
My favorite detail in the documentary is the moment Zhu Zhetian receives a college email. Sitting at the dining table, anxious and hesitant to check the results, their striped, manicured fingers are tightly clenched, while their leg bounces rapidly like a massage gun. The once skirt-rejecting Saron now has manicured nails.
Kang Xinyue and Zhu Zhetian were in the first class I ever taught. Watching this documentary and reflecting on their growth over six years, I feel the intensity of youth and the brilliance of life.
I wish Xinyue a bright future as a filmmaker—I can’t wait to see their next story.
To all my first students, may you ride the winds and break through the waves ahead.
2023.6
做美甲的 Saron
李⻓宸
在云⾕的⿊盒剧院看完了康馨⽉的《Saron》，这是我今年看过最好的纪录⽚。
影⽚的叙事按时间展开，记录了朱哲天申请季的数个⽚段，其中较⼤篇幅的是康馨⽉与朱哲天的访谈。康馨⽉说，⾃⼰选对⼈了，没错。
故事的主⼈公是朱哲天，我们那会⼉叫她⼤炮。为什么叫⼤炮？我忘记了。我们在初中语⽂课中有演讲项⽬，她的演讲给我印象最深。她说⾃⼰进⼊云⾕初中，关⼼的第⼀件事是为什么⼥⽣校服只有裙⼦，没有裤⼦。在初中，朱哲天对⾃⼰的认知，对世界的好奇，吸引了我的注意。
影⽚中，⾼中毕业的朱哲天仍然保持着好奇和不满。
朱哲天在影⽚中真实袒露⼼声，过去，她认为努⼒学习却和⾃⼰成绩差不多的同学是脑⼦笨。现在，她说努⼒还是很重要的，⾃⼰开始发奋读书。
她认为⾃⼰的⾼中早该结束，说⾃⼰在⾼中的评价体系中得不到认可。
她还说，⾃⼰在初中时对艺术和设计感兴趣，现在只喜欢学数学，每天能理解⼀个知识，就很开⼼。为什么出发点⼀定要是影响他⼈，助益他⼈呢？
她不热衷于站在聚光灯下，成为邻居家的⼩孩。但她也不喜欢孤独，希望能够有志同道合的伙伴并肩作战，“但那些⼈似乎在很遥远的地⽅”。
这些变化、挣扎与思考，不⽌是发⽣在朱哲天身上， 每个同龄⼈都会有。成⻓期的撕扯在爱思考的⼩朋友身上尤为强烈。当其他少年看到这部⽚⼦，他们不会觉得⾃⼰孤独。
影⽚中，我最喜欢的⼀处细节，是朱哲天收到⼤学的邮件，坐在餐桌前忐忑不安，不敢看结果。涂着条纹指甲的⼿，紧紧攥在⼀起，⼤腿则像筋膜枪不停抖动。原来，不喜欢穿裙⼦的 Saron 已经美甲了。
康馨⽉、朱哲天，他们是我的第⼀届学⽣，看完这部⽚⼦，再想想她们六年的变化，我触摸
到了成⻓的剧烈和⽣命的嘹亮。
祝馨⽉成为出⾊的创作者，我已经迫不及待想看到她的下⼀个故事。
祝福我第⼀届所有学⽣，乘⻓⻛破万⾥浪。
2023.6