Xiao Wei

After catching The Crossing (2018-also reviewed) I decided to take a look at what else was appearing at the online Chinese Film Season festival,which led to spotting this obscure title and getting set to discover what ing is all about.

View on the film:

Note:Review contains some plot details.

Keeping a toing and froing in examining how each of the Ing family members react to their dad/husband being found to be dying of terminal cancer, debut writer/director Zi Huang displays a thoughtful sensibility in closing working with cinematographer Xu Deng to craft a rustic slice of life atmosphere, where wide-shots linger in the hospital corridors, as Mu Ling (played with a great,touching nervousness by Hang-Ying Pang) tries to get doctors to underplay the terminal illness aspect when giving her husband the news.

Divided into three acts, the screenplay by Huang matches the intimate directing style with long, up-close disquieting passages pinned on the ripples of the dad/husband terminal illness,as Yiming (played with a terrific withdrawing state by Howard Sit) struggles to go through his coming of age maturity whilst facing the death of a parent, and Mu Ling finds herself having to carry the family on her shoulders,as Huang leaves mother and son behinds, and in the final shot follows the dad/husband into the white light.