繼2007年《雲的那端》問世後，身兼母親的導演繼續長達12年的拍攝，以影像日記、視訊影像，記錄患有亞斯伯格症台法混血女兒Elodie的成長歷程，也透過Elodie的畫作和黏土作品，一窺她的奇想世界。影片分為數條軸線，在台、法兩地時空交錯跳躍，凝視這段母女的情感糾結，母親陪伴女兒追尋自我與尋覓出路的過程，宛如一封母親寫給女兒的情書。

 

蕭美玲：「Elodie出生後，我成為了母親，這個新的身分促使我思考文化、身分、認同和國界，因而拍攝《雲的那端》。隨著Elodie長大，開啟我另一段由外而內的探索，一個人如何與外部世界建立聯繫，解讀生命的密碼。

 

Elodie患有亞斯伯格症，有著書寫障礙，卻具有繪畫方面的天分。身為母親，我想讓我的孩子掌握在社會上生存所需的技能；但同時我也試著思考人之所以為人的命題，試著瞭解大腦、心智和行為的複雜聯結，並看到了一個人的創造力，如何在社會化的學習中被逐步地裁切、完竣削足適履的工程。然而所謂的『正常』與否，不過是多數人和少數人的比例問題而已。

 

15歲時Elodie回到她父親的國度——法國，展開新階段的生命旅程。我接替她父親『視訊爸爸』的身分成為『視訊媽媽』，過去十多年間拍攝的影像成為我反思生活的來源。十多年來我必須將自己的情緒凝結，持續走在鋼絲上，藉由紀錄片的拍攝作為我生命的出口，檢視一個特殊兒母親的心路，而這些生命的旅程將成為我緊緊擁抱的記憶。

 

特殊的孩子是上帝特別的禮物，身為孩子的母親，期待轉換這份生命的功課，透過文字、圖畫、影像的形式，作為一種生命的分享和自我的療癒，化作對孩子最深厚的愛與祝福。」

※ 映後30min

Using video diary footage, Parallel World chronicles the 12-year journey of Elodie, a French-Taiwanese girl with Asperger syndrome. Through Elodie’s drawings and clay works, the audience can take a glimpse of her whimsical world. The film, a mother’s love letter to her daughter, follows them on a journey of self-seeking and self-recognition.

‘I became a mother when Elodie was born, and this new identity prompted me to contemplate culture, identity, and national boundaries. The film Somewhere Over the Cloud is a result of the contemplations. As Elodie continued to grow, I found myself examining how an individual connects with the outside world once again.

‘Elodie was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. She has dysgraphia but possesses a talent for drawing. As a mother, I want to equip my child with the skill sets required for her to survive in society, yet at the same time, I wonder what makes us human; wonder if I can truly understand my child’s inner needs. I observe how creativity is gradually undermined when individuals are pressured by society to conform to a standard mold. But what is a normal person anyway? Isn’t normality just an averaged-out result of a lot of random people?

‘At the age of fifteen Elodie went to her father's country to begin a new phase of her life. I became a “Zoom Mom”: The videos recorded during the past ten years have been a source of reflection on our lives. For more than 10 years, I had to freeze my emotions to continue walking the tightrope as a special child’s mother, and translating all these complex feelings into a documentary proved to be my outlet.

‘All special children are gifts from God. These words, pictures, and videos are my self-therapy and what I would like to share with the world. Let them become the most profound love and blessing for my child.’ - HSIAO Mei-ling