Angels Wear White

Working the graveyard shift at the reception desk of a sleepy maritime motel promises little excitement for teenage Mia — until one night she becomes the sole witness to an assault on two schoolgirls by a middle-aged man. Fearing the consequences of speaking up, Mia decides to keep quiet on the matter. Twelve-year-old victim Wen, however, quickly realizes that the violence she endured that night is only the first in a litany of troubles. With seemingly nowhere to run, Mia and Wen find themselves caught in an ever-tightening net that they alone can free themselves from. This second feature from the brilliant Chinese writer-director VIVIAN QU whisks us away to a small seaside village where tranquility is torn asunder by a terrible crime. A modern noir focused on complex female characters, Angels Wear White possesses a distinctive slow burn that may prove to be Qu's signature. - Toronto International Film Festival, 2017