1–4: Under the glow of institutional fluorescent lighting, the formidable NAI NAI (80) answers her Americanized grand-daughter BILLI WANG’s (30) phone call. One bright spot in Billi’s life is her communication by phone camera with her grandmother, Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen), who lives in Changchun, China. In “The Farewell,” Lulu Wang’s stealthy, melancholy charmer of a movie, a family mounts a grand illusion in the name of love. Billi an Americanized Chinese writer played by the multi-talented rapper/actress Awkwafina learns that her beloved Nai Nai has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. And they will do everything in their power to keep her blissfully ignorant of the dire prognosis. Tzi Ma has acted opposite Tom Hanks, worked with the Coen brothers, and now stars in the CW's 'Kung Fu.' With Shuzhen Zhao, Awkwafina, X Mayo, Hong Lu. The family plans a hasty wedding so everyone to see Nai Nai. It's part of life. In honor of Grandparents Day on Sunday, A24 is releasing a Chinese subtitled version of the film in select cities in the United States. “The Farewell” works as well as it does because audiences are able to easily relate to and fall in love with Zhao’s natural performance. My grandma, Nai Nai, has had the clothes she wants to be buried prepared since she was like 60. The Farewell Scene by Scene Breakdown By Karen Dantas GoIntoTheStory.com. Now you can watch The Farewell with your Chinese grandparents. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/07/awkwafina-the-farewell-interview Nai Nai’s eldest son (Yongbo Jiang), who lives in Japan with his family, quickly arranges for his son, Hao Hao (Han Chen) to marry his Japanese girlfriend of three months, Aiko (Aoi Mizuhara), in China. Already a star in China, US fame comes to ‘Farewell’ actress. Because of the family’s decision to keep Nai Nai’s diagnosis a secret from her, The Farewell quickly becomes a story of what can and cannot be said – both literally, due to language barriers, and figuratively, in terms of what information can be divulged to whom. The Farewell was partially filmed in Nai Nai's house in Changchun, China. Nai Nai was happy to see her granddaughter at work — but to this day, she doesn't know what The Farewell … As Billi reconnects with her family in China, she learns the true reason why this lie is important to her family and an essential belief within Chinese culture. Meet Zhao Shuzhen, the 75-year-old Chinese actress who steals the show as the heart of ‘The Farewell’ A post shared by The Farewell (@thefarewell) on Sep 6, 2019 at 9:06am PDT Director Lulu Wang's semi- Billi is upset when her parents, Haiyan and Jian (Tzi Ma and Diana Lin, respectively), tell her that Nai Nai has been diagnosed with cancer. 2020-01-13 12:37:29. The Farewell opens with a title that states that this film is based on an actual lie. Billi and her entire family then travel to China to attend Nai Nai’s farewell, masked as a cousin’s wedding. When Nainai’s family discovers that she has terminal cancer, they decide it’s better not to tell her. She is an actress, known for The Farewell (2019), Zhi fou zhi fou ying shi lü fei hong shou (2018) and Only Cloud Knows (2019). Chinese Audiences Debate Chinese-ness of ‘The Farewell’ Movie about Chinese culture, set in China, wows American audiences but flops in mainland premiere. She delivers a brief tribute to her Nai Nai in a Mandarin that we’re told is imperfect, but that sounds heartfelt. Subtle and soulful, “The Farewell” is a masterful demonstration of restraint. Has built a reputation in Hollywood for playing providers of comic relief in Ocean 's and. The CW 's 'Kung Fu. in Hollywood for playing providers of comic in! Farewell, masked as a cousin ’ s better not to tell.. 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