Plex has a series of movies in coming to the free streaming service in May, including the moving film “The Farewell.” An extended Chinese-American family invents an excuse to visit a beloved grandmother in China, but doesn’t tell her she’s dying. Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, and Zhao Shuzhen star. Awkwafina won a Golden Globe for her performance.
“The Farewell” trailer
Also coming next month is “Moonlight.” The Best Picture Oscar winner stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, and Mahershala Ali. It tells the story of a young black man’s struggle to cope with his life and sexuality, from childhood to adulthood.
Watch Now $0+ / month plex.tv Coming in May: After Yang Arbitrage Arrival The Big Wedding The Blackcoat’s Daughter (starts 5/18 - ends 5/31) C’mon C’mon Cube Cube 2 Dedication The Farewell Filth (starts 5/5) Gloria Bell The Green Knight The Humans The Last Black Man...
“The Farewell” trailer
Also coming next month is “Moonlight.” The Best Picture Oscar winner stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, and Mahershala Ali. It tells the story of a young black man’s struggle to cope with his life and sexuality, from childhood to adulthood.
Watch Now $0+ / month plex.tv Coming in May: After Yang Arbitrage Arrival The Big Wedding The Blackcoat’s Daughter (starts 5/18 - ends 5/31) C’mon C’mon Cube Cube 2 Dedication The Farewell Filth (starts 5/5) Gloria Bell The Green Knight The Humans The Last Black Man...
- 4/29/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Chris Pang has joined Hulu’s Interior Chinatown in a pivotal recurring role.
The casting marks a reunion with Interior Chinatown lead Jimmy O. Yang. The two were in Crazy Rich Asians together, where Yang’s Bernard threw Pang’s Colin a bachelor bacchanal aboard a cargo ship in international waters. This time around, Pang plays Older Brother, the charming and talented beloved sibling of protagonist Willis Wu (Yang) whose mysterious disappearance years ago tore the family apart. Now, Willis has an opportunity to investigate his brother’s case when Det. Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) arrives in the neighborhood with new information.
Interior Chinatown is based on the National Book Award-winning novel of the same name from Charles Yu, who serves as showrunner and is an executive producer on the project alongside Rideback’s Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore and Elsie Choi, Participant’s Jeff Skoll, Miura Kite and Dive’s...
The casting marks a reunion with Interior Chinatown lead Jimmy O. Yang. The two were in Crazy Rich Asians together, where Yang’s Bernard threw Pang’s Colin a bachelor bacchanal aboard a cargo ship in international waters. This time around, Pang plays Older Brother, the charming and talented beloved sibling of protagonist Willis Wu (Yang) whose mysterious disappearance years ago tore the family apart. Now, Willis has an opportunity to investigate his brother’s case when Det. Lana Lee (Chloe Bennet) arrives in the neighborhood with new information.
Interior Chinatown is based on the National Book Award-winning novel of the same name from Charles Yu, who serves as showrunner and is an executive producer on the project alongside Rideback’s Dan Lin, Lindsey Liberatore and Elsie Choi, Participant’s Jeff Skoll, Miura Kite and Dive’s...
- 4/11/2023
- by Rebecca Sun
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With a better awards season campaign, Lulu Wang’s sophomore feature “The Farewell” could have ended up with more than one Golden Globe award. The film premiered to stellar reviews at last year’s edition of Sundance, which are usually enough to create a significant buzz. The decision to ship it off to wide distribution in late summer / early autumn and in anglophone countries first, led to a decent box office success ($22 million against the budget of $3 million) for an indie film, but it affected the film’s chances for the awards.
“The Farewell” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The plot follows Billie (played by Chinese-American rapper/actress Nora Lum better known as Awkwafina) and her coming to terms with the fact that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is dying at the opposite end of the world. She is diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer,...
“The Farewell” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
The plot follows Billie (played by Chinese-American rapper/actress Nora Lum better known as Awkwafina) and her coming to terms with the fact that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is dying at the opposite end of the world. She is diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer,...
- 3/3/2023
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
Exclusive: Lauren Tom (The Joy Luck Club) has joined the cast of Hulu’s Interior Chinatown from 20th Television and creator/executive producer Charles Yu, who wrote the 2020 bestseller of the same name.
Tom will recur as Betty, a successful real estate agent with a sharp suit and sharper tongue. When her assistant drags her out to look at an abandoned laundromat in Chinatown, Betty is clearly irritated, but her attitude changes when she sees her old friend (and new rival), Lily Wu.
Based on the National Book Award-winning book of the same name, Interior Chinatown follows the story of Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), a background character trapped in a police procedural trying to find his way into the larger story–and along the way discovers secrets about the strange world he inhabits and his family’s buried history.
Tom’s credits include Andi Mack, Trollhunters and Goliath. She...
Tom will recur as Betty, a successful real estate agent with a sharp suit and sharper tongue. When her assistant drags her out to look at an abandoned laundromat in Chinatown, Betty is clearly irritated, but her attitude changes when she sees her old friend (and new rival), Lily Wu.
Based on the National Book Award-winning book of the same name, Interior Chinatown follows the story of Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), a background character trapped in a police procedural trying to find his way into the larger story–and along the way discovers secrets about the strange world he inhabits and his family’s buried history.
Tom’s credits include Andi Mack, Trollhunters and Goliath. She...
- 2/28/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Diana Lin and Archie Kao have been cast in series-regular roles on Interior Chinatown, a new series in the works for Hulu from 20th Television and creator/executive producer Charles Yu, who wrote the 2020 bestseller.
Related: 2022-23 Hulu Pilots & Series Orders
Tzi Ma also will recur in the drama that tells the story of Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), a background character trapped in a police procedural who is trying to find his way into the larger story — and along the way discovers secrets about the strange world he inhabits and his family’s buried history. Along with Wang, they join previously announced cast Chloe Bennet and Ronny Chieng, as well as Sullivan Jones and Lisa Gilroy.
Lin will play Lily Wu, Willis’s mother who is both his biggest fan and sharpest critic. Her credits include The Farewell, Australia Day and the Australian TV show The Family Law.
Related: 2022-23 Hulu Pilots & Series Orders
Tzi Ma also will recur in the drama that tells the story of Willis Wu (Jimmy O. Yang), a background character trapped in a police procedural who is trying to find his way into the larger story — and along the way discovers secrets about the strange world he inhabits and his family’s buried history. Along with Wang, they join previously announced cast Chloe Bennet and Ronny Chieng, as well as Sullivan Jones and Lisa Gilroy.
Lin will play Lily Wu, Willis’s mother who is both his biggest fan and sharpest critic. Her credits include The Farewell, Australia Day and the Australian TV show The Family Law.
- 1/19/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Just ahead of its 27th festival, the annual Palm Springs International ShortFest announced its 2021 lineup that will showcase nearly 300 films from June 22 to 28.
“As we collectively move toward this next stage together, we feel a strong sense of gratitude to share the 2021 edition of ShortFest in person,” artistic director Lili Rodriguez said. “At the center of our plans has been a commitment to this great community of storytellers and moviegoers, and we’re excited to make our return to the silver screen a safe and enjoyable one.”
Out of the 5,500 submitted short films, the festival will have 32 world premieres, 13 international premieres, 46 North American premieres and 22 U.S. premieres. All in-theater screenings will take place at the Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
“The entire programming team was blown away by the quality and quantity of amazing films made and submitted during these unprecedented times. We think this program...
“As we collectively move toward this next stage together, we feel a strong sense of gratitude to share the 2021 edition of ShortFest in person,” artistic director Lili Rodriguez said. “At the center of our plans has been a commitment to this great community of storytellers and moviegoers, and we’re excited to make our return to the silver screen a safe and enjoyable one.”
Out of the 5,500 submitted short films, the festival will have 32 world premieres, 13 international premieres, 46 North American premieres and 22 U.S. premieres. All in-theater screenings will take place at the Camelot Theatres at the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
“The entire programming team was blown away by the quality and quantity of amazing films made and submitted during these unprecedented times. We think this program...
- 6/1/2021
- by Haley Bosselman
- Variety Film + TV
AFI Fest on Friday announced the winners of its 2020 audience award and jury prizes. The winners include “76 Days,” a documentary about Wuhan, China’s response to the pandemic, and “Pillars,” a short that explores Black girlhood in today’s America.
The festival, now in its 34th year, attracted its largest audience ever with a mostly virtual program, which opened up the festival to an audience of residents of all 50 states. It screened 125 titles, over half of which were directed by women, 39 percent directed by people of color, and 17 percent directed by members of the LGBTQ community.
“With an audience of more than double from last year, we welcomed over 200 filmmakers and guests from around the world for Q&As and panels,” said Michael Lumpkin, director AFI Festivals. “This year’s festival was truly a celebration of film across the country with festival goers joining us online from all 50 states.
The festival, now in its 34th year, attracted its largest audience ever with a mostly virtual program, which opened up the festival to an audience of residents of all 50 states. It screened 125 titles, over half of which were directed by women, 39 percent directed by people of color, and 17 percent directed by members of the LGBTQ community.
“With an audience of more than double from last year, we welcomed over 200 filmmakers and guests from around the world for Q&As and panels,” said Michael Lumpkin, director AFI Festivals. “This year’s festival was truly a celebration of film across the country with festival goers joining us online from all 50 states.
- 10/23/2020
- by Chris Lindahl
- Indiewire
HBO on Wednesday announced the three finalists of the fourth annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries, a short film competition that showcases cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.
The finalists were selected from hundreds of submissions and were judged by a distinguished panel of HBO executives, industry leaders and fellow APA filmmakers. The three winning films exemplified this year’s competition theme: “Breaking Barriers.” Filmmakers Johnson Cheng (“Lonely Blue Night”), Thomas Percy Kim (“Si”), and Tiffany So (“Fine China”), will premiere their films during the virtual 2020 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, on September 25th at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et via HBOVisionaries.com.
Below is a description of the finalists and their films:
Johnson Cheng (“Lonely Blue Night”) is a Chinese American filmmaker whose films have screened at over 100 international film festivals, including Tribeca, TIFF Kids, Atlanta, and Palm Springs (Best Student Film Award). He is a...
The finalists were selected from hundreds of submissions and were judged by a distinguished panel of HBO executives, industry leaders and fellow APA filmmakers. The three winning films exemplified this year’s competition theme: “Breaking Barriers.” Filmmakers Johnson Cheng (“Lonely Blue Night”), Thomas Percy Kim (“Si”), and Tiffany So (“Fine China”), will premiere their films during the virtual 2020 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, on September 25th at 5 p.m. Pt/8 p.m. Et via HBOVisionaries.com.
Below is a description of the finalists and their films:
Johnson Cheng (“Lonely Blue Night”) is a Chinese American filmmaker whose films have screened at over 100 international film festivals, including Tribeca, TIFF Kids, Atlanta, and Palm Springs (Best Student Film Award). He is a...
- 9/9/2020
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
With a better awards season campaign, Lulu Wang’s sophomore feature “The Farewell” could have ended up with more than one Golden Globe award. The film premiered to stellar reviews at last year’s edition of Sundance, which are usually enough to create a significant buzz. The decision to ship it off to wide distribution in late summer / early autumn and in anglophone countries first, led to a decent box office success ($22 million against the budget of $3 million) for an indie film, but it affected the film’s chances for the awards. In 2020, “The Farewell” is available on video platforms and on BluRay.
The plot follows Billie (played by Chinese-American rapper/actress Nora Lum better known as Awkwafina) and her coming to terms with the fact that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is dying at the opposite end of the world. She is diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer,...
The plot follows Billie (played by Chinese-American rapper/actress Nora Lum better known as Awkwafina) and her coming to terms with the fact that her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is dying at the opposite end of the world. She is diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer,...
- 4/14/2020
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
Chicago – One of the hottest films from the first half 2019 festival season was an emotional story about family, and scored the Best Picture at the 2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards on February 8th. “The Farewell” is a breakout for both the lead actor Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians”), Zhao Shuzhen (who won the Indie Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress) and their director Lulu Wang. Wang’s story of her grandmother became a universal spirit about our relative connections.
Awkwafina portrays Billi, a fictional realization of Lulu Wang’s screenplay, a Chinese American who grew up in Western culture and lives in New York City. But she does have one connection back in China, her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen). When her parents find out that Nai Nai has terminal cancer, the whole clan throws a fake wedding for her cousins to get together and visit her, and Billi goes along for the ride.
Awkwafina portrays Billi, a fictional realization of Lulu Wang’s screenplay, a Chinese American who grew up in Western culture and lives in New York City. But she does have one connection back in China, her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen). When her parents find out that Nai Nai has terminal cancer, the whole clan throws a fake wedding for her cousins to get together and visit her, and Billi goes along for the ride.
- 2/9/2020
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Beijing-born director Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” is now scheduled to hit China on January 10, a full six months after its Us release and nearly two months after its originally announced China release date. This will place the film’s month-long theatrical run just ahead of the Oscars on February 10 and just after the Golden Globe Awards on January 5, where “The Farewell” has been nominated for best foreign language film and its star Awkwafina is in the running for best actress.
The movie was initially set to appear in Chinese cinemas on November 22, but was pulled just two days before, supposedly in the hopes of earning a better slot. It remains to be seen whether cuts were made by the censors, but at the moment it seems not to be the case, since its listed running time in China remains the same as the Us.
This year, a slew of...
The movie was initially set to appear in Chinese cinemas on November 22, but was pulled just two days before, supposedly in the hopes of earning a better slot. It remains to be seen whether cuts were made by the censors, but at the moment it seems not to be the case, since its listed running time in China remains the same as the Us.
This year, a slew of...
- 12/24/2019
- by Rebecca Davis
- Variety Film + TV
A year ago, 76-year-old actor Zhao Shuzhen shot her first American movie, “The Farewell,” based on writer-director Lulu Wang’s very personal family story. In November, Shuzhen found herself making her first visit to the States, where she earned standing ovations from audiences and posed for pictures with stars like Robert Pattinson at parties. Then she landed a nomination for best supporting actress from the Independent Spirit Awards.
It’s easy to see why people have fallen for Shuzhen. In the film she plays the beloved Nai Nai (Chinese for “grandmother”) to Awkwafina’s American-raised Billi. When Nai Nai is diagnosed with cancer, her family decides not to tell her, instead throwing a wedding as an excuse to get the whole family together one last time.
During her visit to Los Angeles, Shuzhen spoke to Variety (via translator Eugene Suen) about the character and her favorite moments onscreen.
Shuzhen: “Initially,...
It’s easy to see why people have fallen for Shuzhen. In the film she plays the beloved Nai Nai (Chinese for “grandmother”) to Awkwafina’s American-raised Billi. When Nai Nai is diagnosed with cancer, her family decides not to tell her, instead throwing a wedding as an excuse to get the whole family together one last time.
During her visit to Los Angeles, Shuzhen spoke to Variety (via translator Eugene Suen) about the character and her favorite moments onscreen.
Shuzhen: “Initially,...
- 12/6/2019
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
One of the breakout performances of 2019 comes from an actress who’s been in the business for more than 60 years. After starring in countless TV shows and movies in her native China, Zhao Shuzhen is poised to become a household name among indie filmgoers and awards voters with her supporting turn as a grandmother who doesn’t know she has cancer in Lulu Wang’s summer sleeper “The Farewell.”
“I’ve played women that are angry, very obsessive, mad women. I’ve played grandmothers who are very nice and warm and optimistic,” Shuzhen told IndieWire via a translator in a recent interview. That’s who she plays in “The Farewell,” a stand-in for director Wang’s own real-life grandmother — or Nai Nai, as they’re called in Chinese parlance — who, to this day, still doesn’t know she has cancer. Awkwafina leads the film as a version of Wang, seen...
“I’ve played women that are angry, very obsessive, mad women. I’ve played grandmothers who are very nice and warm and optimistic,” Shuzhen told IndieWire via a translator in a recent interview. That’s who she plays in “The Farewell,” a stand-in for director Wang’s own real-life grandmother — or Nai Nai, as they’re called in Chinese parlance — who, to this day, still doesn’t know she has cancer. Awkwafina leads the film as a version of Wang, seen...
- 12/2/2019
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
This story about Awkwafina and “The Farewell” first appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s Oscar magazine.
For Awkwafina, “The Farewell” was personal. The film follows a family that learns its matriarch has only a short while to live — but rather than break the news to her, they plan a big family wedding so they can all spend time together. It’s loosely based on a personal experience that director Lulu Wang first discussed on the “What You Don’t Know” episode of the radio series “This American Life.”
“It was a story that I felt very deeply connected to — I felt like it was the first story for me as an Asian-American girl that I saw that was genuinely something I could understand and something that really resonated,” said Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum. “I was flabbergasted at how much I related to the material...
For Awkwafina, “The Farewell” was personal. The film follows a family that learns its matriarch has only a short while to live — but rather than break the news to her, they plan a big family wedding so they can all spend time together. It’s loosely based on a personal experience that director Lulu Wang first discussed on the “What You Don’t Know” episode of the radio series “This American Life.”
“It was a story that I felt very deeply connected to — I felt like it was the first story for me as an Asian-American girl that I saw that was genuinely something I could understand and something that really resonated,” said Awkwafina, whose real name is Nora Lum. “I was flabbergasted at how much I related to the material...
- 11/21/2019
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Watch the talented Awkwafina deliver a powerful performance in this summer’s tear-jerking story, The Farewell, arriving on Digital September 24 from A24, on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD from Lionsgate and On Demand from A24 on November 12.
A heartfelt, moving film based on an actual lie comes home when The Farewell arrives on Digital October 29 from A24, and on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD from Lionsgate and On Demand from A24 on November 12. Written and directed by Lulu Wang (Posthumous), based on her real-life experiences, the film is “extraordinary on every level”. Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, The Farewell stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, and Diana Lin. The special features include two featurettes, deleted scenes, and an audio commentary with writer-director Lulu Wang and cinematographer Anna Franquesa-Solano. The Farewell will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.
After learning that her family’s beloved matriarch,...
A heartfelt, moving film based on an actual lie comes home when The Farewell arrives on Digital October 29 from A24, and on Blu-ray (plus Digital) and DVD from Lionsgate and On Demand from A24 on November 12. Written and directed by Lulu Wang (Posthumous), based on her real-life experiences, the film is “extraordinary on every level”. Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, The Farewell stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, and Diana Lin. The special features include two featurettes, deleted scenes, and an audio commentary with writer-director Lulu Wang and cinematographer Anna Franquesa-Solano. The Farewell will be available on Blu-ray and DVD for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.
After learning that her family’s beloved matriarch,...
- 11/2/2019
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Mark Harrison Sep 19, 2019
“Based On An Actual Lie”, The Farewell strikes a sensitive balance between farce and pathos. And its of one of the year’s best films
Secrets and lies form a huge part of The Farewell, the new film from writer-director Lulu Wang. In particular, it’s about the lies we tell the people we love to avoid hurting their feelings. For instance, Chinese-American writer Billi (Awkwafina) is avoiding telling her family that she hasn’t won a prestigious fellowship and she’s facing eviction from her New York apartment.
But when Billi discovers that her grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, she’s outraged by her family's choice: in keeping with longstanding cultural traditions, Nai Nai's adult children decide not to tell their beloved matriarch that she’s got about three weeks left to live.
Instead they’re planning a big...
“Based On An Actual Lie”, The Farewell strikes a sensitive balance between farce and pathos. And its of one of the year’s best films
Secrets and lies form a huge part of The Farewell, the new film from writer-director Lulu Wang. In particular, it’s about the lies we tell the people we love to avoid hurting their feelings. For instance, Chinese-American writer Billi (Awkwafina) is avoiding telling her family that she hasn’t won a prestigious fellowship and she’s facing eviction from her New York apartment.
But when Billi discovers that her grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, she’s outraged by her family's choice: in keeping with longstanding cultural traditions, Nai Nai's adult children decide not to tell their beloved matriarch that she’s got about three weeks left to live.
Instead they’re planning a big...
- 9/19/2019
- Den of Geek
The FarewellWhen released over 25 years ago in 1993, Wayne Wang’s The Joy Luck Club was considered a triumph, the first film to realize the dream of Asian and Asian-American representation in Hollywood. Rather than predict a change in course, however, it remained an anomaly. Virtually no American films comparably invested in the sorts of cross-cultural divides chronicled in Wang’s saga of mother-daughter rifts and continuities saw the light of day, until last year’s romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians, and more significantly, Lulu Wang’s Sundance breakout, The Farewell. Not that world cinema lacked insights on the growing pains of the immigrant experience, and the East-West, tradition versus modernity conflicts that comprise the thematic meat of similarly charted family dramas. The United States saw a “70 percent increase in the population [of Asians] from 1980 to 1988,” according to a New York Times report, and Chinese immigrants made up a significant portion. The success...
- 7/22/2019
- MUBI
Chicago – We all have those family stories that seem just so uniquely ours that it is hard to believe anyone could actually relate to them. Stories that, at the time, don’t seem like anyone else would even understand. Lulu Wang proves in “The Farewell” that all it takes is a little empathy, a skilled storyteller, and a group of talented people to bring any story to life.
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Based on a true story that is all “based on an actual lie,” Wang creates something that’s much less of an explanation and much more of an exploration. It all begins when Billi (Awkwafina)—meant to represent Wang herself—discovers that her grandmother, Aka Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), has a terminal illness. As if that information weren’t distressing enough, Billi also finds out that her family plans to hide the diagnosis from Nai Nai, and let her live the...
Rating: 5.0/5.0
Based on a true story that is all “based on an actual lie,” Wang creates something that’s much less of an explanation and much more of an exploration. It all begins when Billi (Awkwafina)—meant to represent Wang herself—discovers that her grandmother, Aka Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao), has a terminal illness. As if that information weren’t distressing enough, Billi also finds out that her family plans to hide the diagnosis from Nai Nai, and let her live the...
- 7/22/2019
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
It can often take a harrowing situation to encourage people to embark on a heartfelt celebration of their families, and learn to truly appreciate the relationships they have with their relatives. The powerful realization that everyone needs to cherish their family members is grippingly presented in the new comedy-drama, ‘The Farewell.’ The feature masterfully interweaves […]
The post Interview: Tzi Ma and Diana Lin Talk The Farewell (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Interview: Tzi Ma and Diana Lin Talk The Farewell (Exclusive) appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 7/19/2019
- by Karen Benardello
- ShockYa
Chicago – One of the hottest films from the first half 2019 festival season was an emotional story about family. “The Farewell” is a breakout for both the lead actor Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians”) and her director Lulu Wang. Wang’s story of her grandmother became a universal spirit about our relative connections.
Awkwafina portrays Billi, a fictional realization of Lulu Wang’s screenplay, a Chinese American who grew up in Western culture and lives in New York City. But she does have one connection back in China, her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen). When her parents find out that Nai Nai has terminal cancer, the whole clan throws a fake wedding for her cousins to get together and visit her, and Billi goes along for the ride. Although she is uncomfortable with the white lie, the re-connection with her family changes her perspective.
Writer/Director Lulu Wang in Chicago for...
Awkwafina portrays Billi, a fictional realization of Lulu Wang’s screenplay, a Chinese American who grew up in Western culture and lives in New York City. But she does have one connection back in China, her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen). When her parents find out that Nai Nai has terminal cancer, the whole clan throws a fake wedding for her cousins to get together and visit her, and Billi goes along for the ride. Although she is uncomfortable with the white lie, the re-connection with her family changes her perspective.
Writer/Director Lulu Wang in Chicago for...
- 7/18/2019
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
A24’s “The Farewell” had its four-screen opening this weekend and set a new mark for the highest per screen average of 2019, bringing some good news to an indie box office that has had very little to smile about his summer.
Premiering at Sundance in January, “The Farewell” arrived in Los Angeles and New York to critical acclaim, holding a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score with 90 reviews logged. The film grossed an estimated $351,330 this weekend for an average of $87,833, hitting that target despite power outages in Manhattan that forced the AMC Lincoln Square, one of the theaters screening “The Farewell,” to close early on Saturday night. The previous top average for the year was held by “Avengers: Endgame,” which had a $76,601 average from its record $357 million wide opening in April.
Also Read: Awkwafina Had Doubts About Her Dramatic Turn in 'The Farewell': 'I Never Thought I'd See a Script Like...
Premiering at Sundance in January, “The Farewell” arrived in Los Angeles and New York to critical acclaim, holding a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score with 90 reviews logged. The film grossed an estimated $351,330 this weekend for an average of $87,833, hitting that target despite power outages in Manhattan that forced the AMC Lincoln Square, one of the theaters screening “The Farewell,” to close early on Saturday night. The previous top average for the year was held by “Avengers: Endgame,” which had a $76,601 average from its record $357 million wide opening in April.
Also Read: Awkwafina Had Doubts About Her Dramatic Turn in 'The Farewell': 'I Never Thought I'd See a Script Like...
- 7/14/2019
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Death is a tricky thing in the West, even the very word comes under scrutiny. Some prefer “passed away” to “died” and celebration of life services are frequently held in lieu of funerals. A telling quote from Lulu Wang’s new film The Farewell encapsulates how different death is understood in the East: “Chinese people have a saying: When you get cancer, you die.”
The Farewell universalizes one’s life-long struggle with death. It’s done from the perspective of both cultures via Billi (Awkwafina), who’s parents Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and Jian (Diana Lin) immigrated from China to New York City and assimilated to western values. When Billi’s told about her grandmother’s terminal cancer diagnosis she’s asked to keep it a secret. Her struggle to understand why the lie is told, much less keeping it, personifies the tension of Western individualism and Eastern communality to simultaneously sad and hilarious results.
The Farewell universalizes one’s life-long struggle with death. It’s done from the perspective of both cultures via Billi (Awkwafina), who’s parents Haiyan (Tzi Ma) and Jian (Diana Lin) immigrated from China to New York City and assimilated to western values. When Billi’s told about her grandmother’s terminal cancer diagnosis she’s asked to keep it a secret. Her struggle to understand why the lie is told, much less keeping it, personifies the tension of Western individualism and Eastern communality to simultaneously sad and hilarious results.
- 7/13/2019
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Awkwafina Leads ‘The Farewell’; Marc Maron Brandishes ‘Sword of Trust’: Specialty Box Office Preview
Awkwafina traverses two cultures in Lulu Wang’s Sundance ’19 hit The Farewell, which A24 opens in New York and Los Angeles this weekend. While the Specialty circuit was mostly on pause over the holiday weekend last week, the second weekend of July is seeing a notable group of indie/limited releases making its way to theaters. Filmmaker Lynn Shelton went straight comedy with Sword Of Trust starring Marc Maron, opening in New York ahead of other cities along with VOD the following week. Jesse Eisenberg, meanwhile, stars in The Art of Self-Defense by Riley Stearns. The Bleecker Street release will target audiences that skew younger than the company’s usual fare. National Geographic is launching doc Sea Of Shadows, also a Sundance premiere, in select locations, while Uncork’d Entertainment is opening writer-director Frederick Cipoletti’s Desolate with Will Brittain, Callan Mulvey and Tyson Ritter day and date with a multi-city theatrical bow.
- 7/12/2019
- by Brian Brooks
- Deadline Film + TV
Writer and director Lulu Wang’s forthcoming film The Farewell has been buzzy since it premiered at Sundance. It sold to A24 after its positive ovation at the fest and since has made its rounds, gaining more and more momentum as it ramps up for its July 12 release. The film’s star Awkwafina is getting shine for her lead performance and Wang has staked her claim in Hollywood showing that she can helm a film as good as any white man.
The film is billed as a story based on a lie — and is based on Wang’s real life (her great aunt Lu Hong actually appears in the film). Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) learns that her Nai Nai (her grandma played by Zhao Shuzhen) in China only has weeks to live. Her father (Tzi Ma), mother (Diana Lin) and entire family knows, but they have decided not to tell her.
The film is billed as a story based on a lie — and is based on Wang’s real life (her great aunt Lu Hong actually appears in the film). Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) learns that her Nai Nai (her grandma played by Zhao Shuzhen) in China only has weeks to live. Her father (Tzi Ma), mother (Diana Lin) and entire family knows, but they have decided not to tell her.
- 7/11/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Writer-director Lulu Wang draws on her own life to create the story of a Chinese family who come together to celebrate a wedding that’s closer to a funeral. Awkwafina, the rapper-comic and laugh-delivering dynamo of Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean’s 8, dials down to give a sublime and finely textured performance as Billi, a New Yorker who returns home to China to see her grandmother Nai Nai (the hilarious, heartbreaking and altogether wonderful Shuzhen Zhao). The elderly woman has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The catch is that...
- 7/11/2019
- by Peter Travers
- Rollingstone.com
Ever since the Sundance Film Festival, buzz has been building for The Farewell. Poised to be one of the fest’s potential awards season players, the heartfelt drama is opening this week and should begin accruing a number of new fans. Those at Sundance did not overhype this one, as it’s a tremendously good movie, one that will undoubtedly make you smile. Not quite the tearjerker you might be expecting, it’s still deeply emotional, yet handled so well it never seems even a little bit manipulative. It’s one of the better films of 2019 so far could certainly end up on Oscar’s radar. For Billi (Awkwafina), her grandmother Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao) is a huge figure in her life, even if the former is living in New York City, while the latter is in China. They talk often on the phone, exhibiting a close relationship. While visiting...
- 7/11/2019
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
In The Farewell, Awkwafina plays Billi, an Asian American who heads to China after learning her grandmother (Shuzhen Zhao) is dying of cancer. The catch is the grandmother’s entire family is reuniting under the guise of an impending wedding, as they believe that disclosing the information would only make her final days stressful. Directed by [...]
The post Tzi Ma And Diana Lin Talk Rehearsal Process Behind Critically Acclaimed ‘The Farewell’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post Tzi Ma And Diana Lin Talk Rehearsal Process Behind Critically Acclaimed ‘The Farewell’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 7/11/2019
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
One of the biggest breakthrough performances of the year comes in an unexpected package; the Sundance Film Festival favorite “The Farewell” introduces audiences to 75-year-old Chinese actress Zhao Shuzhen in her dazzling American film debut. “I’m so lucky,” Shuzhen says via translator in an interview with Variety. It’s a word she uses frequently, and precisely the word filmmaker Lulu Wang uses when talking about finding the actress who embodies her grandmother on screen.
Wang opens the movie, which opens in New York and Los Angeles this week, by telling us it is “based on a true lie.” In a 2016 episode of “This American Life” titled “In Defense of Ignorance,” Wang detailed the lengths her family went through to obscure the truth from her real-life grandmother after she was diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live. Believing her final days should be spent in blissful ignorance – and...
Wang opens the movie, which opens in New York and Los Angeles this week, by telling us it is “based on a true lie.” In a 2016 episode of “This American Life” titled “In Defense of Ignorance,” Wang detailed the lengths her family went through to obscure the truth from her real-life grandmother after she was diagnosed with cancer and given only weeks to live. Believing her final days should be spent in blissful ignorance – and...
- 7/10/2019
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
The Farewell A24 Reviewed for Shockya.com & BigAppleReviews.net linked from Rotten Tomatoes by: Harvey Karten Director: Lulu Wang Screenwriter: Lulu Wang Cast: Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong, Jiang Yongbo, Chen Han, Aoi Mizuhara Screened at: Park Ave., NYC, 6/19/19 Opens: July 12, 2019 A childhood friend of mine had a father […]
The post The Farewell Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post The Farewell Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 7/7/2019
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
This year’s event hosted 12 features transferred from the Utah-based festival.
Lulu Wang’s family drama The Farewell picked up the audience favourite award at Sundance London on Sunday, June 2.
The film had its European premiere at the event, and was one of 12 features which launched at Sundance Film Festival in January to transfer to the London offshoot.
It centres on Billi, a Chinese-American woman who returns to China when her grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis, about which her family keeps her in the dark.
Awkwafina leads the cast, which also includes Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong,...
Lulu Wang’s family drama The Farewell picked up the audience favourite award at Sundance London on Sunday, June 2.
The film had its European premiere at the event, and was one of 12 features which launched at Sundance Film Festival in January to transfer to the London offshoot.
It centres on Billi, a Chinese-American woman who returns to China when her grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis, about which her family keeps her in the dark.
Awkwafina leads the cast, which also includes Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong,...
- 6/3/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Lulu Wang’s Park City comedy-drama The Farewell has picked up the top prize at UK spin-off festival Sundance London.
Wang’s feature, starring Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo, scored the Audience Favourite Award after getting its European premiere at the festival. The film was previously picked up by A24 out of Sundance in a deal pegged at close to $6M for worldwide rights excluding China.
In the well-received sophomore film, headstrong Chinese-American woman Billi returns to China when her beloved grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis. Billi struggles with her family’s decision to keep grandma in the dark about her own illness as they all stage an impromptu wedding to see grandma one last time.
Sundance Film Festival: London took place from 30 May – 2 June at Picturehouse Central, presenting 12 feature films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah,...
Wang’s feature, starring Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo, scored the Audience Favourite Award after getting its European premiere at the festival. The film was previously picked up by A24 out of Sundance in a deal pegged at close to $6M for worldwide rights excluding China.
In the well-received sophomore film, headstrong Chinese-American woman Billi returns to China when her beloved grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis. Billi struggles with her family’s decision to keep grandma in the dark about her own illness as they all stage an impromptu wedding to see grandma one last time.
Sundance Film Festival: London took place from 30 May – 2 June at Picturehouse Central, presenting 12 feature films from this year’s Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah,...
- 6/3/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Anyone worth their salt agrees that Awkwafina knows her way around comedy. The 30-year-old rapper and comedian has already made her mark starring in landmark films like Crazy Rich Asians and Ocean's 8, and now she's changing it up with her newest film project, The Farewell.
Based on "an actual lie," the indie film tells the story of Billi (played by Awkwafina), a young woman born in China but raised in the Us, and her discovery that her grandmother Nai Nai has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Nai Nai has been given a short time to live, but her family decides not to tell her that she's dying: instead, they throw an impromptu wedding to unite their scattered family members and reconnect with her before she passes. Billi travels back to her birth country to say goodbye to her sick grandmother and struggles to hold back her emotions around her sweet Nai Nai.
Based on "an actual lie," the indie film tells the story of Billi (played by Awkwafina), a young woman born in China but raised in the Us, and her discovery that her grandmother Nai Nai has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Nai Nai has been given a short time to live, but her family decides not to tell her that she's dying: instead, they throw an impromptu wedding to unite their scattered family members and reconnect with her before she passes. Billi travels back to her birth country to say goodbye to her sick grandmother and struggles to hold back her emotions around her sweet Nai Nai.
- 5/11/2019
- by Mekishana Pierre
- Popsugar.com
A24 has released a new trailer for the emotionally poignant drama ‘The Farewell’ starring Awkwafina.
Scoring a massive hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival Lulu Wang‘s dramady is going off the tag line of “Based on a Lie”, a lie that sees one family hide the fact the grandmother is dying from the woman it’s happening too.
The film stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo.
Also in trailers – The Earth is under Alien attack in trailer for Netflix Original ‘Rim of the World’
The film has a Us release of July 12th
The Farewell Synopsis
A Chinese family discover that their beloved grandmother has only a short time left to live, and instead of telling her, they whip up an impromptu wedding to gather the family together before she passes.
The post Awkwafina stars in poignant trailer for ‘The Farewell’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
Scoring a massive hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival Lulu Wang‘s dramady is going off the tag line of “Based on a Lie”, a lie that sees one family hide the fact the grandmother is dying from the woman it’s happening too.
The film stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo.
Also in trailers – The Earth is under Alien attack in trailer for Netflix Original ‘Rim of the World’
The film has a Us release of July 12th
The Farewell Synopsis
A Chinese family discover that their beloved grandmother has only a short time left to live, and instead of telling her, they whip up an impromptu wedding to gather the family together before she passes.
The post Awkwafina stars in poignant trailer for ‘The Farewell’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 5/8/2019
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In the trailer for Lulu Wang's The Farewell, a family that lies together stays together.
The preview, released on Tuesday morning, follows Awkwafina's Billi as she and her family keep their grandmother in the dark about her cancer diagnosis.
"Chinese people have a saying: When people get cancer, they die," says Diana Lin, who plays Jian, Billi's mother.
Billi's family desperately stages a wedding to get other family members to China, where the will be able to say a final goodbye to the ailing grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen).
The Farewell, which ...
The preview, released on Tuesday morning, follows Awkwafina's Billi as she and her family keep their grandmother in the dark about her cancer diagnosis.
"Chinese people have a saying: When people get cancer, they die," says Diana Lin, who plays Jian, Billi's mother.
Billi's family desperately stages a wedding to get other family members to China, where the will be able to say a final goodbye to the ailing grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen).
The Farewell, which ...
In the trailer for Lulu Wang's The Farewell, a family that lies together stays together.
The preview, released on Tuesday morning, follows Awkwafina's Billi as she and her family keep their grandmother in the dark about her cancer diagnosis.
"Chinese people have a saying: When people get cancer, they die," says Diana Lin, who plays Jian, Billi's mother.
Billi's family desperately stages a wedding to get other family members to China, where the will be able to say a final goodbye to the ailing grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen).
The Farewell, which ...
The preview, released on Tuesday morning, follows Awkwafina's Billi as she and her family keep their grandmother in the dark about her cancer diagnosis.
"Chinese people have a saying: When people get cancer, they die," says Diana Lin, who plays Jian, Billi's mother.
Billi's family desperately stages a wedding to get other family members to China, where the will be able to say a final goodbye to the ailing grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen).
The Farewell, which ...
Tradition meets deception meets celebration in the new trailer for the Lulu Wang-directed The Farewell. The film, which made Rolling Stone‘s “10 Best Movies of Sundance 2019” after it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, gets its wide release in theaters via A24 on July 12th.
In the new clip for the dramedy that’s “based on an actual lie,” Chinese-American Billi (Awkwafina) finds out that her grandmother is dying of cancer, but as is Chinese tradition, the family does not inform “Nai Nai” that she is dying. Instead, they...
In the new clip for the dramedy that’s “based on an actual lie,” Chinese-American Billi (Awkwafina) finds out that her grandmother is dying of cancer, but as is Chinese tradition, the family does not inform “Nai Nai” that she is dying. Instead, they...
- 5/7/2019
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
"You think one's life belongs to oneself." A24 unveiled a trailer for the indie drama The Farewell, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year to immediate acclaim. The Farewell is the second feature film by talented filmmaker Lulu Wang, telling a very personal story about a Chinese family that discovers their grandmother doesn't have much longer left to live. Awkwafina stars as Billi, a woman living in New York who reluctantly travels back to China to be with her. Her family makes her keep the news a secret, only spending time with Nai Nai without telling her why they're all really there. Also starring Zhao Shuzhen as grandma, Tzi Ma, Gil Perez-Abraham, Diana Lin, Ines Laimins, Jim Liu, X Mayo, Aoi Mizuhara, and Han Chen. This was one of my favorite films from Sundance, and I can't wait for everyone to be able to watch it, and be moved by it.
- 5/7/2019
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Opening with the title card “Based on an actual lie,” which has been adopted as the film’s tagline, Lulu Wang’s Sundance sensation The Farewell navigates the tricky terrain of withholding information from ones you love to avoid pain. In this case, it’s Awkwafina’s character who learns her family has chose to hide a cancer diagnosis from her grandmother (Zhao Shuzhen) and spend the final days celebrating instead of mourning. One of the best films I saw at Sundance this year, A24 picked it up, getting the rare PG rating, and ahead of a July release, the first trailer has arrived.
Dan Mecca said in his review, “Bittersweet, touching and always funny, The Farewell is lived-in from top to toe. While the structure allows for the ensemble cast to shine, Awkwafina is the star and more than up to the task. Wang’s trust in her actress is obvious.
Dan Mecca said in his review, “Bittersweet, touching and always funny, The Farewell is lived-in from top to toe. While the structure allows for the ensemble cast to shine, Awkwafina is the star and more than up to the task. Wang’s trust in her actress is obvious.
- 5/7/2019
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Anyone paying attention to the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year knows “The Farewell” is one of the can’t-miss films of the summer movie season. Lulu Wang’s feature directorial debut earned some of the best reviews in Park City and was named the festival’s best picture and best director in IndieWire’s critics poll. The family comedy-drama now heads into the summer backed by A24 and a dramatic breakthrough for Awkwafina, who previously gained attention on the big screen with supporting roles in “Ocean’s 8” and “Crazy Rich Asians.”
“The Farewell” stars Awkwafina as Billi, a Chinese-American woman who travels to China to attend a family wedding. The only issue is that the wedding is a sham, designed as an excuse to bring Billi’s entire family together under one roof so that everyone can spend time with their terminally ill matriarch, Nai-Nai. No one is allowed...
“The Farewell” stars Awkwafina as Billi, a Chinese-American woman who travels to China to attend a family wedding. The only issue is that the wedding is a sham, designed as an excuse to bring Billi’s entire family together under one roof so that everyone can spend time with their terminally ill matriarch, Nai-Nai. No one is allowed...
- 5/7/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
There’s something special about The Farewell. Written and directed by Lulu Wang and starring Awkwafina, this is the kind of film that feels specific and universal all at once. The film opens with the title card: “Based on an actual lie.” Wang builds this narrative from personal experience: her family chose to hide a cancer diagnosis from her grandmother (Zhao Shuzhen) and spend the final days celebrating instead of mourning. Or at least that was the idea. A fairly elaborate plan is hatched, involving a sham wedding that forces an abrupt reunion back in China.
Billi (Awkwafina), who lives in New York City, decides to make the trip east after her parents (Diana Lin and Tzi Ma) tell her not to come: “You can’t hide your emotions,” they say. It would give the whole ruse away. Billi’s just been denied a writer’s fellowship and can’t pay the rent,...
Billi (Awkwafina), who lives in New York City, decides to make the trip east after her parents (Diana Lin and Tzi Ma) tell her not to come: “You can’t hide your emotions,” they say. It would give the whole ruse away. Billi’s just been denied a writer’s fellowship and can’t pay the rent,...
- 1/28/2019
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
A24 is close to completing a deal to acquire Sundance breakout “The Farewell,” according to Deadline. The film, which stars Awkwafina and was directed by Lulu Wang, will reportedly be purchased for an estimated $6 million. It’s one of the most high-profile deals at the festival so far, though the record still belongs to “Late Night,” the Mindy Kaling/Emma Thompson comedy bought by Amazon Studios for $13 million.
In his glowing review of the film, IndieWire’s Eric Kohn wrote, “The rapper-turned-actress’ best performance takes a sharp turn away from her zany supporting roles for a restrained and utterly credible portrait of cross-cultural frustrations. As a Chinese-American grappling with the traditionalism of her past and its impact on the future, she’s an absorbing engine for the movie’s introspective look at a most unusual family reunion.”
He continued, ““The Farewell” lands on a tricky happy medium between the eccentric...
In his glowing review of the film, IndieWire’s Eric Kohn wrote, “The rapper-turned-actress’ best performance takes a sharp turn away from her zany supporting roles for a restrained and utterly credible portrait of cross-cultural frustrations. As a Chinese-American grappling with the traditionalism of her past and its impact on the future, she’s an absorbing engine for the movie’s introspective look at a most unusual family reunion.”
He continued, ““The Farewell” lands on a tricky happy medium between the eccentric...
- 1/28/2019
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Awkwafina’s wedding dramedy “The Farewell” is close to landing a deal with indie studio A24 following its premiere this week at the Sundance Film Festival. The pact is for worldwide rights and is believed to be in the $6 million range, numerous individuals close to the negotiations told Variety.
“The Farewell” stars “Crazy Rich Asians” breakout star Awkwafina as Billi, a Chinese-American woman who travels back to China to visit her ailing grandmother. She discovers a family plot to keep grandma in the dark about her own terminal diagnosis, and agrees to help stage a fake wedding to give the matriarch one last hurrah. The film drew interest from a number of potential buyers, including Amazon and Netflix. But the asking price was a steep one and, in the case of Netflix, the filmmakers wanted a major theatrical release. Interested bidders were only allowed to make a pitch to the...
“The Farewell” stars “Crazy Rich Asians” breakout star Awkwafina as Billi, a Chinese-American woman who travels back to China to visit her ailing grandmother. She discovers a family plot to keep grandma in the dark about her own terminal diagnosis, and agrees to help stage a fake wedding to give the matriarch one last hurrah. The film drew interest from a number of potential buyers, including Amazon and Netflix. But the asking price was a steep one and, in the case of Netflix, the filmmakers wanted a major theatrical release. Interested bidders were only allowed to make a pitch to the...
- 1/28/2019
- by Matt Donnelly and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: A24 is near to closing what sources said is a $6 milion deal for worldwide rights excluding China on The Farewell, the Lulu Wang-directed comedy that stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, and Diana Lin.
A Chinese family discovers that their beloved grandmother has a short time to live. They don’t tell her, but instead stage a wedding so the family can gather before she expires. The film has been a buzz titles since it premiered Friday at Eccles. It is in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category.
Chris Weitz and Andrew Miano produced the film through Depth of Field with Big Beach’s Peter Saraf, Marc Turteltaub, and Dani Melia, and Anita Gou.
What buyers were saying is that while there are subtitles in the film, and it is not as glossy as Crazy Rich Asians, it is similar to that film in that it tells a genuine story infused in Chinese culture,...
A Chinese family discovers that their beloved grandmother has a short time to live. They don’t tell her, but instead stage a wedding so the family can gather before she expires. The film has been a buzz titles since it premiered Friday at Eccles. It is in the U.S. Dramatic Competition category.
Chris Weitz and Andrew Miano produced the film through Depth of Field with Big Beach’s Peter Saraf, Marc Turteltaub, and Dani Melia, and Anita Gou.
What buyers were saying is that while there are subtitles in the film, and it is not as glossy as Crazy Rich Asians, it is similar to that film in that it tells a genuine story infused in Chinese culture,...
- 1/28/2019
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
In the second big-ticket sale of this year's Sundance Film Festival, A24 has acquired worldwide rights, minus China, to Lulu Wang's The Farewell in a deal said to be worth up to $7 million.
A source says the film will get a traditional theatrical release in the summer.
The Awkwafina starrer revolves around members of a Chinese family who discover their grandmother has only a short time left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding before she dies. Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo round out the ...
A source says the film will get a traditional theatrical release in the summer.
The Awkwafina starrer revolves around members of a Chinese family who discover their grandmother has only a short time left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding before she dies. Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo round out the ...
- 1/27/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the second big-ticket sale of this year's Sundance Film Festival, A24 has acquired worldwide rights, minus China, to Lulu Wang's The Farewell in a deal said to be worth up to $7 million.
A source says the film will get a traditional theatrical release in the summer.
The Awkwafina starrer revolves around members of a Chinese family who discover their grandmother has only a short time left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding before she dies. Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo round out the ...
A source says the film will get a traditional theatrical release in the summer.
The Awkwafina starrer revolves around members of a Chinese family who discover their grandmother has only a short time left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding before she dies. Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shuzhen, Lu Hong and Jiang Yongbo round out the ...
- 1/27/2019
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Ever since it received a standing ovation at its world premiere at Sundance, The Farewell has been a buzzy title at the Park City fest as an emotional dramedy based on director/writer Lulu Wang’s own story about her grandmother. The filmmaker stopped by the Deadline studio alongside stars Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, and Diana Lin.
When Wang learned that her grandmother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, her mother called her to let her know that she one had three months to live. In China, the doctors don’t share this information with the patient, instead, they tell a family member. In this case, her grandmother’s sister. In order to get everyone to China to be with her ailing grandmother, they planned a wedding and still kept the diagnosis a secret.
“I thought it was most ridiculous thing,” Wang told Deadline. “Also, the saddest and funny thing at the same time.
When Wang learned that her grandmother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, her mother called her to let her know that she one had three months to live. In China, the doctors don’t share this information with the patient, instead, they tell a family member. In this case, her grandmother’s sister. In order to get everyone to China to be with her ailing grandmother, they planned a wedding and still kept the diagnosis a secret.
“I thought it was most ridiculous thing,” Wang told Deadline. “Also, the saddest and funny thing at the same time.
- 1/26/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Stretched across continents, but no less profound and idiosyncratic, the family ties that give life to Lulu Wang’s sophomore feature “The Farewell” are informed by the director’s own anecdotes about her loved ones. As personal as few other titles in the lineup, the film premiered Friday afternoon at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Based on an Actual Lie,” announces the opening frame of this intergenerational dramedy first made public on NPR’s radio program “This American Life” in a story titled “In Defense of Ignorance” back in 2016. Ironically, the reasoning behind the elaborate falsehood is where the movie’s noble heart resides.
Told mostly in Mandarin, Wang’s bittersweet triumph gives rapper turned comedic actress Awkwafina the melancholic part of Billi, a Chinese-born writer who moved to America when she was 6 years old. She is, essentially, Wang’s avatar. Already unsure about her future enterprises, Billi takes a brutal hit when her beloved grandmother,...
“Based on an Actual Lie,” announces the opening frame of this intergenerational dramedy first made public on NPR’s radio program “This American Life” in a story titled “In Defense of Ignorance” back in 2016. Ironically, the reasoning behind the elaborate falsehood is where the movie’s noble heart resides.
Told mostly in Mandarin, Wang’s bittersweet triumph gives rapper turned comedic actress Awkwafina the melancholic part of Billi, a Chinese-born writer who moved to America when she was 6 years old. She is, essentially, Wang’s avatar. Already unsure about her future enterprises, Billi takes a brutal hit when her beloved grandmother,...
- 1/26/2019
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
Anyone with a large Chinese family going back several generations will probably appreciate much about the one depicted in tender detail in “The Farewell,” director Lulu Wang’s touching and understated second feature. For everyone else, Awkwafina’s performance is a terrific gateway. The rapper-turned-actress’ best performance takes a sharp turn away from her zany supporting roles for a restrained and utterly credible portrait of cross-cultural frustrations. As a Chinese-American grappling with the traditionalism of her past and its impact on the future, she’s an absorbing engine for the movie’s introspective look at a most unusual family reunion.
Based on a 2016 episode of “This American Life” drawn from Wang’s own experiences, “The Farewell” centers on Billi, an out-of-work New York writer who learns from her parents that her beloved grandmother — that is, her “Nai Nai” (Zhao Shuzhen) — has terminal cancer. Following Chinese tradition, Billi’s relatives have...
Based on a 2016 episode of “This American Life” drawn from Wang’s own experiences, “The Farewell” centers on Billi, an out-of-work New York writer who learns from her parents that her beloved grandmother — that is, her “Nai Nai” (Zhao Shuzhen) — has terminal cancer. Following Chinese tradition, Billi’s relatives have...
- 1/26/2019
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
In the past decade or so, film critics have been pressured to put a “spoiler alert” before sharing anything that might potentially undermine people’s enjoyment of a movie. But how are people supposed to treat things that might be viewed as ”spoilers” in real life? If you knew something that could potentially ruin the rest of someone’s time on Earth — like, say, that they had Stage IV lung cancer and less than three months to live — would you be doing them a favor by keeping that information secret? Wouldn’t they want to know?
Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” begins with the words “Based on an actual lie,” which is a pretty funny way to present a true story about how the Chinese-American filmmaker’s family decided to spare their grandmother a terminal diagnosis. They don’t want to spoil the limited time she has left, and so...
Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” begins with the words “Based on an actual lie,” which is a pretty funny way to present a true story about how the Chinese-American filmmaker’s family decided to spare their grandmother a terminal diagnosis. They don’t want to spoil the limited time she has left, and so...
- 1/25/2019
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The 2019 Sundance Film Festival has unveiled their impressive lineup of independent films.
I love going to Sundance. It’s one of my favorite movie events to attend. One of the reasons I enjoy it so much is because they are all fresh and original films that tell original stories! For the most part there aren’t a lot of remakes, reboots, and sequels, which are mostly the kinds of films that fill theaters these days.
On top of that, you never know what you’re going to get when you walk into a screening. It could be complete and utter crap, or it could be one of the best films you’ve ever seen. It’s thrilling!
This coming year, The Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 24th to February 3rd, 2019 in Park City, Ut. Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, had this to say in...
I love going to Sundance. It’s one of my favorite movie events to attend. One of the reasons I enjoy it so much is because they are all fresh and original films that tell original stories! For the most part there aren’t a lot of remakes, reboots, and sequels, which are mostly the kinds of films that fill theaters these days.
On top of that, you never know what you’re going to get when you walk into a screening. It could be complete and utter crap, or it could be one of the best films you’ve ever seen. It’s thrilling!
This coming year, The Sundance Film Festival will take place from January 24th to February 3rd, 2019 in Park City, Ut. Robert Redford, President and Founder of Sundance Institute, had this to say in...
- 12/1/2018
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.