Another View 2014 / Lilting / United Kingdom 2014
The visually arresting Lilting follows Chinese-Cambodian Junn (Pei-pei Cheng) – Kai’s mother, and Richard (Ben Whishaw) – Kai’s unavouched life partner, as they struggle to come to grips with a tragic event. The talented debut director sensitively captures the distinct stages of grief and mourning, as well as the characters’ spiritual confusion.
Set in contemporary London, the visually arresting Lilting is an intimate and subdued drama that focuses on two main characters: Kai’s mother Junn, of Chinese-Cambodian origin, who lives in a retirement home, and Richard, Kai’s unavouched life partner. The pair are struggling to come to terms with a tragic event that has left them utterly bereft – Kai’s death. The talented debut director has deftly captured in sensitive fashion the distinct stages of grief and mourning, as well as the characters’ spiritual confusion. Realistic sequences alternate with more dreamlike passages that clarify the characters’ relationship to Kai, and the nonlinear narrative results in a mosaic of stories told almost without words. The director places great store on the authentic performances from Ben Whishaw and legendary Chinese actress Pei-pei Cheng, who capture even the most inner emotions and motivations with mere facial expressions. The film screened to rave reviews in the international competition at this year’s Sundance.
86 min / Color, DCP
Director Hong Khaou
/ Screenplay Hong Khaou
/ Dir. of Photography Ula Pontikos
/ Music Stuart Earl
/ Editor Mark Towns
/ Producer Dominic Buchanan
/ Production Film London, Microwave Film
/ Coproduction BBC Films, Stink Films, Sums Film & Media
/ Cast Ben Whishaw, Pei-pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Morven Christie, Naomi Christie
/ Contact Protagonist Pictures
Hong Khaou (b. 1975, Phnom Penh, Cambodia) worked for seven years for the independent distribution company Peccadillo Pictures, regularly attending film festivals and markets as a member of the acquisition team. He also attended numerous programs for writers organized by The Royal Court, Polka Theatre, Dende Collective, and Yellow Earth Theatre. He has written and directed two shorts: Summer, screened in 2006 at the Berlinale, and Spring, presented at the Sundance and Berlin IFFs in 2011. In 2013 the director was named one of Screen International’s "Stars of Tomorrow.” Lilting is Khaou’s feature debut.
Protagonist Pictures
48-48 Great Portland Stcy, W1W 7NB, London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 207 734 9000
E-mail: [email protected]
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
