Starring Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen and Tzi Ma
Written and directed by Lulu Wang
USA 2019
100 mins
A big hit at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019, writer/director Lulu Wang's second film is a delightful, bittersweet comedy-drama based on an episode from her own life.
Aspiring young Chinese-American writer Billi discovers that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai has only a few months to live and that, as is traditional in Chinese culture, the diagnosis is to be kept back from her by the family. Billi is convinced that her grandmother should know the truth and is consequently forbidden to join a wedding party in China that has been arranged as a disguised farewell to Nai Nai. But she disobeys her parents instructions and travels to China to confront the situation head on.
Lulu Wang originally published a short story about her own grandmother which was to become the basis for the screenplay of 'The Farewell'.
Awkwafina - the talented comedian and rapper excels in the role of Billi while the veteran Chinese actress Zhao Shuzhen is perfectly cast as Nai Nai. This affecting and accomplished movie examines contrasting cultures, generations and personalities and counterpoints humour and high emotion to revealing and rewarding effect.
