Lulu Wang was born in Beijing, China and spent most of her early years there and in Changun, Jilin. She and her family emigrated to Miami, Florida when she was six years old. Wang is a classically trained pianist and double majored in literature and music at Boston College in 2005. She has stated that she ultimately decided to become a filmmaker after watching Secretary (2002) by Steven Shainberg. Since then she has written and directed several shorts and two feature length films. Her second film, The Farewell, premiered at Sundance in 2019 and quickly garnered critical acclaim. She received an Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Most Picture in a Foreign Language. Wang already has many projects in the works since her breakout with The Farewell, including a six episode TV series called The Expatriates.
The acclaim that Wang has received is understandable. The Farewell was a lovely film, depicting struggles within a Chinese family trying to care of its matriarch while keeping her ailment a secret from her. The pacing and structure of the film were all solid and worked effectively together to tell this story. Wang was able to work so well with a larger cast and bring out very real performances. The movie has a dry, deadpan humor at times that I love. Awkwafina received a well deserved Golden Globe for her performance as Billi. The performance by Shuzhen Zhao as Nai Nai was a standout as well.
There is just something about the way that The Farewell looks; it has a warmth that emanates from the screen. It is something about the more pastel and sometimes muted colors, that I really respond to. There is a way in which the colors often are reflective of the moods and connections of the characters on screen. It is dark, and there is a blue hue when Billi must say goodbye to her grandmother, knowing this may be the last time she ever sees her. It is so easy to get completely engrossed in the story and feel a part of this family yourself. Wang was able to adapt the story into something of her own, and it’s truly beautiful. It is also easy to see how talented she is in capturing the energy and bustle of people and the country of China itself. This family is buzzing at times all around each other, and all of the nuances and mannerisms are expertly filmed. Each individual personality comes across so vividly at times, I feel like I know them personally. Wang really shines with this human drama.
I admittedly haven’t had the chance to see Posthumous, Wang’s first feature length film, starring Brit Marling and Jack Huston, but I am hoping I’m able to soon. The premise of it sounds intriguing; an artist learns of false reports of his own death and decides to continue the lie and pose as his own brother. I am certain Wang handled it with the same care as The Farewell, and it will be charming yet heartbreaking all at once. Lulu Wang is already in a league of her own as one of the best directors working today, and I, for one, cannot wait to see more from her.
(Header Image via MiamiFilmFestival)
When I’m not busy daydreaming or having an existential crisis, I can usually be found watching a movie or TV, listening to music or a podcast, or with my nose in a book.
