Two schoolgirls find themselves at the center of a scandal in “Angels Wear White.” Written and directed by Vivian Qu, the China-set drama sees pre-teen friends Xiaowen (Zhou Meijun) and Xinxin (Zhang Xinyue) sexually assaulted in a seaside resort. And that’s just the beginning of their saga.
When their trauma comes to light, they don’t seem to receive much support from their parents or community, and are victim-blamed for what happened. Xiaowen and Xinxin are forced to answer questions about why they didn’t just go home, whether or not they are lying, and other thinly veiled accusations that are all too familiar in situations like this. Complicating matters even further is the fact that the man who brought them to the motel is a high-ranking district commissioner. Police and government corruption are playing a major role in the crime’s aftermath.
The sole witness to the attack is Mia (Wen Qu), a teen girl who was working at the reception desk during the assault. She’s also being pressured to keep quiet.
Qu made her directorial debut with 2013’s “Trap Street.”
“Angels Wear White” premiered at the 2017 Venice Film Festival. It bows May 4 in NY and May 18 in LA with a national rollout to follow.
