The Farewell 2019

Movie · 100 min · English, Mandarin · January 25, 2019

Directed by Lulu WangWritten by Lulu Wang

Starring Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, Zhao Shu-zhen, Lu Hong (playing herself)

A 2019 American comedy-drama film, The Farewell was written and directed by Lulu Wang. Starring Awkwafina, Tzi Ma, Diana Lin, and Zhao Shuzhen, the story centers on Billi, a Chinese American woman who discovers her grandmother Nai Nai is terminally ill. With only days remaining, her family decides to hold an impromptu wedding as a reason for everyone to gather in their hometown. Billi faces internal conflict during wedding preparations, torn between wanting to see Nai Nai and being troubled by her family's decision not to disclose the illness. The film draws from director Wang’s personal life, first shared in her radio piece "What You Don't Know" featured on This American Life. It made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2019 and opened in U.S. theaters on July 12 through A24. Critics praised Wang's screenplay and performances by Awkwafina and Zhao Shuzhen. At the 77th Golden Globe Awards, the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress, with Awkwafina winning the latter award. The Farewell features dialogue in both English and Mandarin Chinese.