The Deity Yet to Be Seen

Overview

The Deity Yet to Be Seen is a re-enactment of the ancient Chinese tale ‘The White and Green Serpent’ (《白蛇传》). The film traces a serpent spirit through its transformative states of gender and identity, evolving from a formless being to a man, woman, both, and neither. It oscillates between spirit, monster, human, and an unseen deity. Shimmering images challenge omniscient perspectives with ambiguity, offering an alternative queer narrative construction. The film uses lens flare as a visual tool to express the concept of disidentification central to queer theory. The concept involves neither fully accepting nor rejecting an identity but strategically engaging with cultural norms.