Lulu Wang’s The Farewell is an intergenerational family drama that is at once celebratory, heart-wrenching, and life-affirming. The film, which is based on true events, follows a young Chinese American woman named Billi (Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians) as she travels back to China to visit her dying grandmother.
=0D=0A=Billi’s family has decided to spare their beloved matriarch the news of her terminal diagnosis so as not to darken what time she has left. In order for everyone to have a chance to say goodbye without tipping her off that the end is near, they orchestrate an elaborate excuse to reunite in the form of a fake wedding. Though cultures clash and family conflict ensues, the story is told with universally relatable warmth and charm.
=0D=0A=Awkwafina is dazzling as the quick-witted and empathetic Billi; she is supported by a remarkable cast that includes the charming Tzi Ma (Meditation Park, Arrival) as her father and Diana Lin (Australia Day) as her mother.
=0D=0A=Little by little, we realize that this story is not only about Billi saying goodbye to her grandmother, but also about her reconnecting with a country and extended family that she left behind at a young age. The Farewell is truly remarkable. It will make you laugh out loud, cry both sad and happy tears, and contemplate the meaning of home.
=0D=0A=“By the time The Farewell hands us its final gift — well, I wished I had a grandma to call. It’s a film that pulls off a quiet miracle: it breaks your heart, and leaves you happy.” —Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times
=0D=0A=English, Mandarin w/ English subtitles
=0D=0A=Rated PG
=0D=0A=http://tidemarktheatre.com/event/crff-the-farewell/
=0D=0A=DTSTART:19691231 DTEND:19700101 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR