Lilting is a heartbreaking study of communication and personal connection. When Kai dies unexpectedly, his boyfriend Richard is compelled to establish a relationship with Kai’s only living family member, his Cambodian-Chinese mother Junn, who speaks little English. Junn is overtly intractable and does little to veil her dislike for Richard, who hires a translator to facilitate dialogue in an attempt at healing. The pair slowly develop a rapport and understanding, fueled by their mutual yearning for the loss of a loved one.
Written and directed by Hong Khao, produced by Dominic Buchanan and starring Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei-Pei, Lilting is a co-production between SUMS, BBC Films and Stink.
