October Diary

The film follows the emotional journey of two young women who make a connection in a strange new city. One night in San Francisco, an American art student bums a cigarette from a chinese girl, beginning one of the most significant friendships of their lives. As the girls get to know each other, the american protagonist always seems to reveal more than her new friend, who is herself mysteriously intriguing. Although they seem to come from different backgrounds, they find common ground in their isolated situations. The American protagonist lives in an apartment with her boyfriend who is away for a short time. The chinese girl seemingly lives alone, yet her apartment has a dog gate with no dog, and she’s constantly having over-the-phone confrontations with an unidentified person. The two girls distract themselves with their budding friendship, as they pass the time cooking, smoking, sight-seeing, and watching movies together.
As they grow more and more comfortable with one another, the american girl begins to question her relationship with her boyfriend. She appears weary of his coming presence, as each phone call reminds her that he will soon be back. This feeling culminates when the two friends attend a small party together and the chinese girl notices her friend standing all alone. Withdrawn from the party, the american girl escapes to the stairwell. The chinese girl leaves the party to find her, and the two share a tender kiss before the american girl runs off. In the end, the chinese girl is gone, and the american girl breaks up with her boyfriend and moves in to her old apartment.