Nüshu(女書; Chinese hidden letters) is a secret language created and used exclusively by Chinese women who were prohibited from using the language considered the domain of men. It might be an unfamiliar term, but similar histories can be found in Korea’s Hangul, called Amgeul (women’s letters), and Japanese Hiragana, called Onnade (women’s hand).
This documentary revolves around two female successors of Chinese hidden letters, Hu Xin and Wu Simu, who continue to preserve the language from the time of its last speaker, He Yanxin. Through the stories of Hu Xin, who struggles to escape from the shadow of domestic violence, and Wu Simu, who faces pressure to give up her career to have a child, we realize that the tragic history of Nüshu’s origin continues to be reproduced even today. This language, which reflects the anguish of Chinese women deeply rooted in a patriarchal society, represents a history of ongoing independence passed down from grandmothers to mothers and mothers to daughters.
The documentary Hidden Letters will be especially intriguing for those who remember Nu Shu: A Hidden Language of Women in China, directed by Yang Yue-Qing and screened at the 3rd SIWFF.  [LEE Seona, Cinefemme]