It has been a while since I have done a movie Monday so I thought today I would pick a film which I saw a while ago now but has really stuck with me.
Set in London, Lilting tells the story of Cambodian Chinese mother Junn who after the death of her son Kai is left alone to live in a country she now has no connection with. Adding to her grievance is the presence of Richard, Kai's lover who longs to connect with Junn. As the two struggle to communicate without a common language they attempt to overcome their differences and share memories of a man they both loved.
The film is a beautiful exploration of grief,memory and love, highlighting the difficulties of finding the right way to express yourself and communicate with others. The language barrier between Junn and Richard is just one aspect of what makes their communication with one another so difficult, and what the director and writer Hong Khaou so brilliantly captures are the moments when the words of any language simply do not suffice to express emotion.
Lilting is shot beautifully and has a slow pace to it which is lifted with moments of drama and humour. I would recommend it as one to watch alone on a quiet afternoon - the subtitles and lack of dialogue means it requires a little more concentration to truly appreciate the subtle messages that the film portrays.
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