Holiday Movie Recommendation

When it comes to holiday nostalgia, I think of family. Especially during New Years and Christmas, I find that spending time with those closest to me is near and dear to my heart. For the past few years, I’ve fortunately been able to return back to my parents’ native country in China to visit and surround myself with my culture. Similarly, in the A24 film The Farewell, directed by Lulu Wang, Chinese American protagonist Billi (Awkwafina) connects with her heritage on a trip to Changchun when she finds that her grandmother is gravely ill. 

Along with some other kin, Billi and her family gather for her cousins’ wedding which is treated as a distraction from her dying grandmother. The whole family discovers that Nai Nai, the grandmother, is sick and decides to keep it a secret from her in hopes that the ignorance will keep her happy as long as she is alive. As Billi navigates herself through familial expectations, she realizes that this experience is a chance for her to reunite and celebrate her grandmother and more importantly, her Chinese roots. 

The film’s theme shows how family can strengthen us, despite what one thinks, which many like myself can relate to. As a first generation kid born and raised in a different country than my household, I see how my situation parallels Billi’s as we both ignore our beliefs from our parents’ for the sake of our close relatives who we rarely get to see. 

Moreover, sacrifices are made and differences arise, but throughout it all, we recognize how significant family is and do whatever it takes to maintain it, especially since some members live far apart in China or America. This movie is one that I highly recommend to watch even during the holiday season. A humorous and sentimental film, The Farewell is a special reminder to the children of immigrants that we should cherish and prioritize family which we sometimes forget as a result of our distinct lives from our parents’.