Star,asuicidalteennowtoooldforfostercare,developsacandidrapportwithAn,astudentfromShanghaiwhoisassignedtowatchherwhilesheisinhospital.Anightlyexchangeofsecrets,textmessagesandpossessionsquicklyexpandstheboundariesoftheirrelationship,alteringtheirinnerchemistry.
Gildedbyasoundscapethatinterweavesworkbyemergingandpioneeringelectronicmusicians,QueensoftheQingDynastyisanoffbeatodetoneurodiversityandgenderqueerindividualswhorefusetoconform.DirectorAshleyMcKenzie’sblendofformalismandgrittyrealismdoesnotfailtosurpriseandtreatstheaudiencetoflashesofvisualandconceptualpoetry.Hercastisentirelycomposedoffirst-timeactorswhoconvincinglyconveyhowuniqueeveryindividualis,bothinhowtheyseetheworldandhowtheyrelatetoothers.ZiyinZhengintheroleofAngraciouslyembodiesamixofidiosyncrasyandfranknessthatmakesthemanidealconfidanteforStar(SarahWalker).TheyhavewhatittakestobeonthereceivingendofthescrutinisinggazeofStar,whoseesthroughconventionsandneverceasestobeamazedatlife’sbewilderingevents.Veeringonslapstick,Walker’sperformancewillnotgounnoticed.