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The Story

Jiayu appears to lead a harmonious life with her multi-generational family in Taiwan. Yet, beneath this facade, unresolved family issues linger. As her son Bingmo heads to the UK for university, Jiayu seizes a final opportunity for connection. Accompanying him during his settling-in period, she yearns to mend their strained relationship and uncover the buried complexities within their family. 

Director's Statement

Drawing from my personal experiences within my close family, it's a common practice in many Taiwanese households for couples to rely on their parents for childcare while living together. However, increased involvement of parents-in-law can disrupt traditional family dynamics, leading to a shift in traditional family roles, resulting in disconnection, diminished sense of belonging, and a search for external identity.

For me, this family structure feels like a constant, subtle erosion of the core of the home. Loneliness and evasion act as impenetrable barriers, allowing connections to fade amidst the swirling dust of life's turmoil.

Therefore, through this story, I aimed to capture a mother's urgency to mend her relationship with her child after years of disconnection within this family structure. As her son approaches independence, it draws them out of escapism and embarks on a journey to a foreign land where they engage in a dialogue, revealing the hidden loneliness and emotions within their family. As the film unfolds, I no longer delve into the root causes of the family's breakdown; instead, I seek to convey the intricate and unresolvable nature of family dynamics.

Creative Approach

Visual Language
The film accentuate the mutual gaze between the characters through visual cues. Initially, this gaze is one-sided, symbolising the longing to connect with each other's hearts. Only when both parties are willing to meet each other's gaze and break the one-sidedness can the true barriers between their hearts in the relationship be dismantled.