The Farewell Scene by Scene Breakdown By Karen Dantas GoIntoTheStory.com. While there still exists a language barrier between them, they connect and it’s a tender moment. Friar Laurence's cell. Directed by Lulu Wang. Birds scatter from the tree, flying off into the distance as a unit, their pattern of formation silhouetted against the sky. You’re all on your own, with no one to support you. Billi snaps back with an “I’m fine.” Gu Gu enters with the MASSAGE PARLOR RECEPTIONIST, and orders for them various treatments, clearly establishing herself as the one paying and in control. We pare down the story to its most constituent parts: Scenes. Mykal Kilgore) Alex Weston, Mykal Kilgore. General Mu acknowledges that it is so rare for Billi to be able to back, and urges her to speak to Nai Nai while she has the opportunity. Billi’s heart swells with compassion. In spite of being perplexed, Billi obeys. Billi is immediately suspicious and as she queries whether her young but only cousin has knocked up his girlfriend as the reason for the quick wedding, her mother deflects by asking her “How many wontons you want?” and pulls Billi into an argument of how many wontons she should eat. 20–23: The family eats, making small talk about the food. My connection to my Asian-American identity is comprised of those memories. Nai Nai prompts Billi to make her speech. 70–71: Billi returns to the hotel, and joins the other members of the family, searching for Aiko’s missing earring. Lulu Wang said in her acceptance speech, “I have to thank my parents, of course, and my entire family. He begs Nai Nai for her forgiveness for not being around. I see so much of my relationship with my nana and papa in Billi’s relationship with Nai Nai; cultural dissonance, guilt, and unwavering love are at the heart of both. You have so much ahead of you. He was there to watch me walk across the stage at graduation a few years later as I proudly wore a stole representing my Filipina identity over my shoulders. Nai Nai affirms her promise that they will see each other very soon, but then declares that they should not drag this out any further, re-establishing her authority, and admonishes them to hurry to not miss their flights. “Gaaaaaab! He continues to ask about her family and if she prefers China to America, all deeply personal questions that Billi deflects by changing the subject and by dismissing him. Holding on to everything Nai Nai has instructed, she takes the microphone and falteringly apologizes for her poor command of the language. ( Log Out /  Billi nods, emotional, as Nai Nai prattles on about how Billi should spend the money on nice things, not practical things. 75: Aiko shyly delivers her speech in Japanese, with Auntie Ling translating for her, humbly stating her joy to be celebrating with everyone, and that Hao Hao is a very nice and good man. Everyone responds a little too enthusiastically. Mahal kita.”. Billi then accuses her mother for being insensitive and for having issues with Nai Nai, when her mother snaps and rants about how much she hates the expectation in Chinese culture that grief is a performance, and that it is expected of her to show her emotions to everyone when she felt it should be personal. When I got that phone call, I thought of all our car rides in the Navigator, eating sunny-side-up eggs with rice, and watching Walker, Texas Ranger episodes on the couch together. Nai Nai is beaming at the sight of everyone gathered together, praising the fact that it has been over 20 years since all have been united like this. Alone, Nai Nai drops her strong performance, and we see that she is weary. 86–87: Outside the apartment, Billi and Nai Nai hug goodbye, both struggling to maintain composure. She ends by noting that Billi has always been fearless, and that she is confident that Billi will be fine. Plates of crabs flow from the kitchen, and the family speeches begin. ( Log Out /  Jian gets defensive, especially when Nai Nai lectures her on how to take care of her husband. your cat… it got on the roof… “ Haiyan ends his tale with the punchline that upon his wife’s return from another trip, he says, “Listen, honey, you know your Mom… she got on the roof… “ which results in Billi and her mother JIAN LU chuckling along with everyone surrounding the table. She coughs. He asks the gathered members whether they should tell her the truth and make plans for various members to stay with her. Billi reluctantly eats, but then seeks refuge in the bathroom. Gabriella Granada is a Filipina-American writer from Chicago. Her efforts in putting on these performative emotions takes its toll. He then further extends his wishes to thank his mother, and at this point, he is breaking. Nai Nai sighs dramatically and asks for a moment to rest. Nai Nai is clearly annoyed, and admonishes them for coming. Today: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown. In America, one’s life belongs to oneself. 19–20: Jian, Little Nai Nai, and Nai Nai’s housekeeper, MRS. GAO, prepare food for everyone. 81–82: Billi is frantic, and runs all the way to the hospital. Haiyan is fighting back tears. While Auntie Ling speaks to Aiko in Japanese, Billi tells her mother that she would like to stay and care for Nai Nai. The opening scene of The Farewell is also a phone call. He further points out that Billi’s motivation to reveal to Nai Nai the truth is because she feels too much responsibility carrying it, and that once she tells her, she won’t have to feel guilty anymore. Nai Nai reminds them to remember their Chinese roots. (The story originally ran as an episode of This American Life before Wang began developing it as a feature). 67: After the family has been dropped off at the hotel, Nai Nai soaks her aching feet in hot water, tended to by Mr. Li. While Uncle Haibin sets up the tripod, she notices Hao Hao’s red, puffy face, still streaming tears. He suffered a severe stroke overnight. Nai Nai nods, as if she knew all along. General Zhu flirts with Nai Nai and reminds her that his plan was to marry her, she got injured with a bullet, but Billi’s grandfather whisked her off before he could get to her. I’m Lulu Wang, and I’m the writer and director of ‘The Farewell.’ “Ha!” This is a scene between Billi and Nai Nai, her grandma. But Nai Nai insists. Go here to download a PDF of your favorite script and join the cause by volunteering to do a scene-by-scene breakdown. 60–62: Haiyan and Uncle Haibin are helped back to their hotel rooms by their wives. Billi and Nai Nai pause and savor the moment. Billi looks from Nai Nai, to her parents, and to her Uncle Haibin. 34–35: As Nai Nai and Uncle Haibin meet with the WEDDING COORDINATOR, Nai Nai is in hysterics. “Hi Nana. She observes a mahjong game in progress, played by drunk middle-aged men. 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. She furthers throws into his face that his younger brother Haiyan brought with him several cases of expensive-looking French champagne. 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Intercut between Nai Nai’s morning in a hospital in China and Billi navigating the night streets of New York City as they both expertly lie to each other about what they are doing, where they are, and how they are keeping themselves. 58–59: Jian, Little Nai Nai, and Auntie Ling cook relentlessly. Billi disputed that this psychic was wrong — Jian never had three children. Categories: Anything and Everything, Women Film-makers, Tagged as: Awkwafina, gabriella granada, lulu wang, the farewell, zhao shuzhen. 72: Billi opens her eyes in her hotel room, as if stirred by the presence of Ye Ye smoking in her room. I’ll be fine. My family are immigrants from the Philippines, and I was born and raised in the U.S. Finding a way to embrace my cultural identity, while always feeling somewhat distant from it, has been a lifelong balancing act. Jian offers to make some wontons, but complains that Billi only seeks her parents when she needs money. Admittedly this is subjective and there is no right or wrong, the point is simply to break down the script into a series of parts which you then can use dig into the script’s structure and themes. The focus of this bi-weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. I hope to see you in the RESPONSE section about this week’s script: The Farewell. Jian then asks Billi if she regrets that they brought her to America. Billi scans the document, but realizes it is all in Chinese and asks Mrs. Gao to tell her what it says. Billi tries to refuse, saying she didn’t get married. Post a Job Opening ... and the scene when the family visits the grave of a departed loved one, ... “The Farewell” is “based on an actual lie,” as we’re told at the outset. She gives her a heartfelt speech, teaching Billi that, “Whatever you encounter in life, you must fight to stay positive. Billi tries to break the tension by pointing out in English to her mother that America is not the utopian paradise and has its own problems. 6–9: After her parent’s dinner party, Billi returns home to her darkened apartment, just in time to be startled by a small house bird which Billi releases out the window. Attempting to bridge that distance between us, both culturally and generationally, is really the beating heart of The Farewell. Their conversation is interrupted by the entrance of the young and handsome DOCTOR SONG, who turns out to have been British educated. Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump, The spirit-stirring drum, th’ ear-piercing fife, 405 The royal banner, and all quality, Pride, pomp, and … You can follow her on Twitter and read more of her work here. While Uncle Haibin protests that they are not in America, Little Nai Nai cuts in, stating that she will know when it is the proper time. Billi considers this angle, while wincing in pain from her treatment meant to induce relaxation. Learn more, Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. True to form, Nai Nai stubbornly stays rooted to the spot, her figure growing smaller. Reading scripts. “That’s so painful! It’s easy and free to post your thinking on any topic. 12–15: Billi seeks out her father, hiding in his bedroom. Billi lies and says she still hasn’t heard anything. As I grew older, I started insisting he wait in the Navigator. Gu Gu runs up to him, Billi also rushes over, and together they start damage control, furtively checking on Nai Nai who is distracted by her conversation with Mrs. Gao. Nai Nai declares that this is a celebration of her only grandson, and that she refused to look cheap. Jian looks at her daughter like she is crazy, and reminds her that she cannot cook, clean, and can barely speak Chinese. 50: Nai Nai, Mr. Li, and Little Nai Nai return to the apartment. Nai Nai is surrounded by the entire family. After bolting up the stairs and searching for Mrs. Gao, she spots her on the second floor and confronts her. 23–25: Billi walks with her Uncle Haibin back to the hotel the family is staying in. So Billi would be it. Billi spots her father getting dressed. Billi insists on calling her, when her father snaps out of his grief and dictates to Billi that the family has decided not to tell her, and that it was his idea to plan a fake wedding so the family will have an excuse to see her. While a YOUNG CHINESE WOMAN sings a melancholic song, a very drunk Hao Hao starts to bawl uncontrollably, prompting the group of teen girls huddled near him to also cry. Uncle Haibin rushes to reassure her that crab is great and to not get worked up. Together, they feast in honor of Ye Ye, and even Haiyan enjoys a celebratory smoke with his father. Billi is confused, but when Gu Gu explains that it is basically a rub-and-tug, to which Billi bursts out in laughter. He’d ask how my day was, and I’d respond monosyllabically: “Fine,” “Good,” or “Eh.” I now understand that I wasn’t annoyed, I was embarrassed. At the 35th Annual Independent Spirit Awards on Feb. 8, The Farewell took home the biggest award of the night, Best Feature. There are volumes of the fascinating lives they led that I’ll never know: growing up in the Philippines, the decision to come to America, and the countless sacrifices they made so that we could have a great life here. Haiyan states that it was Nai Nai’s old neighbourhood, and asks Billi if she remembered the old house. Billi (played by Awkwafina) and members of her extended family take turns plucking off morsels from … Is their marriage in trouble? The scene that best captures this is when Billi arrives in China and her family crowds in Nai Nai’s small apartment to prepare a meal together. It’s been a while since she last travelled there.. 16: Billi gets out of the taxi in front of a group of Peach Buildings, where Nai Nai lives. “See, I told you I was fine!”. Nai Nai then declares to Billi, “You have work to do. As Michael leads Billi up the many flights of stairs to her room, she has to stop to catch her breath. Maybe she knows the truth, or maybe she is just accepting that in her age, her time is limited. 66: As the group takes leave of the cemetery, Nai Nai casually comments that when the time comes for her, that she would just like her ashes to be scattered over the ocean, because no one is home for her. The Farewell announces at the beginning that it’s based on an actual lie, but the meaningful truths it reveals couldn’t be more poignant or powerful. Jian notices the feigned cheerfulness, but plays along, and invites Little Nai Nai and her husband to visit and stay with her in America. With Shuzhen Zhao, Awkwafina, X Mayo, Hong Lu. They are the reason I have one foot proudly planted in my Filipino culture and the reason I refuse the split. I n the opening scene of writer-director Lulu Wang’s The Farewell, a Chinese grandmother (Zhao Shuzhen), affectionately referred to as Nai Nai by her family, and her Chinese-American granddaughter, Billi (Awkwafina), have a warm, affectionate phone conversation in which each woman incessantly lies to the other.A professionally adrift, financially bereft millennial whose writing … The attention turns to the next generation, Hao Hao and Billi. She returns to the table, and Nai Nai is genuinely concerned for her, but the other family members remind her silently not to expose the plot. She credits Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You, (both) Lindsey Lohan(s) in The Parent Trap, and Carrie Fisher in everything she’s ever done for who she is today. 32–34: Nai Nai returns to the dining table, and informs everyone to lie to the attending guests that Hao Hao and Aiko have been dating a year, to avoid scandal. They set out food and fruit offerings, while Nai Nai and Haiyan reminisce about what he loved to eat and toasting him with drink. After commanding everyone’s attention, she reminds everyone that though everyone is excited to see her, that they need to not forget about the real reason why they are gathered together, and to focus on the wedding. 82–83: Billi, Little Nai Nai, and Mrs. Gao huddle with a COPY CENTER OWNER as he tries to doctor the scanned copy of the results on his computer. There are about a dozen such scenes … Hie to high fortune! Water symbolized talent, but her water would be long and flowing like a river, so that she would not be able to hold on to any of it. 29–32: Billi and Mrs. Gao set out a traditional Chinese breakfast for the assembled family members. When Billi finds out that Nai Nai is dying of cancer, the film cuts to scenes of her going through the motions of life in New York City, despondent. Insults of Affection. Little Nai Nai promises that when Nai Nai reaches that point, she will inform her. It’s called The Farewell. It’s a brief but welcome respite as Billi obeys and laughs at herself. Uncle Haibin rushes past her, shouting for them to hurry up. Four years later, the film is a funny, melancholic triumph that examines what cultural identity and lineage mean to us. Lulu Wang's new film -- one of the best of the year-- is based on her own family's story, an "actual lie," as the opening suggests. Billi finally turns to her mother, and asks her if either her or dad get sick in America, would they want her to lie to them? Nai Nai then notices that Billi was not eating, and force feeds her one of the meat pies. He and Billi converse in English about Nai Nai’s true condition, and Billi learns that he too is going along with the family plan to deceive Nai Nai. Nai Nai, Aiko, and Hao Hao continue with fulfilling the customs of a Chinese Wedding Banquet. As Nai Nai joyfully embraces her, Billi fights for control of her emotions, while the other family members observe her carefully. 80–81: Family Portrait time. I got the call that my papa was in the hospital while I took a college midterm 500 miles away. It’s that kind of a hotel. “I saw this movie that reminded me of you. You can download the script here. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. One of “The Farewell’s” most emotionally poignant scenes revolves around food. The film’s emotional win flooded me with memories of the family I have to thank: celebrating Simbang Gabi, a Filipino-Catholic holiday, with the whole neighborhood in the church basement and coming home after midnight mass on Christmas Eve to be greeted by the smell of Pancit Bihon, a delectably greasy noodle dish, wafting from the kitchen. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 50–51: In her hotel room, Billi lifts her shirt, and inspects her bruised back in the mirror, the results of the cupping treatment that was supposed to relax her. The psychic then declared that her daughter was also water but she was a big ocean of water, which meant her river would flow into her. A pause, and then Billi thoughtfully asks Jian if she regretted leaving China. The opening scene cheekily notes that the story is “based on an actual lie,” borrowing from real events in Wang’s own life centered around her family’s decision to hide news of her grandmother Nai Nai’s terminal cancer from her. Gu Gu pours beer for everyone and leads a toast, praising the beaming face of Nai Nai. 51–56: Nai Nai sits on the exam table, accompanied by Mrs. Gao. I’m Lulu Wang, and I’m the writer and director of ‘The Farewell.’ “Ha!” This is a scene between Billi and Nai Nai, her grandma. Jian responds by lashing out that perhaps Billi should move back to China. As Little Nai Nai approaches her sister to deliver the results, she makes a decision, musters her courage, and confirms to the distressed Nai Nai that the shadows were only benign. She finishes her speech with congratulating Hao Hao and Aiko, to thunderous applause. Despite how small her studio apartment is, it feels enormous and empty. Little Nai Nai’s voice is heard through Uncle Haibin’s speakerphone, giving them directions to the hospital, where Nai Nai has gone. 62–66: The entire Wang Family is assembled at the National Peace Cemetery, and someone’s funeral procession led by a professional CRIER passes them by. Billi assures her that she does not. She also tosses a sly insult on the family by announcing to the receptionist that Billi is from America and her Chinese is weak, and continues to speak in rapid Chinese, too fast for Billi to understand. Even if you do not participate in the analysis, discussion, or write up a scene-by-scene breakdown, I strongly encourage you to read these scripts. There’s a scene in Lulu Wang’s second feature film, The Farewell, in which three generations of one Chinese family gather around a dining table. Billi says that exerting t00 much energy might hurt her, and Nai Nai responds, “Even so, I have to keep exercising. As a child, I loved hanging out with him. Uniformed waiters bearing wide smiles in a line, a LION DANCER leads the bridal party in. Write on Medium, Download 2021 Oscar Nominated Screenplays, Update: 2020–2021 Award Season Screenplay Downloads — 4 New Scripts, 47 Total, Writing and the Creative Life: “Why You Should Write Three Pages of Garbage Every Morning”, Script Analysis: ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ — Part 1: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, The Business of Screenwriting: When you don’t get the gig, More Writing Time by Organizing Work Time. Power games. As an indecisive Haiyan is lead away to inspect the tub for an herbal bath treatment and massage, Billi paces, and Gu Gu alleviates the tension by teasing that the masseuses might give her father a “hit the airplane” treatment. She continues on to say that in America, she does not have much family, and that she misses everyone assembled in the hall very much. Billi, out of breath, asks if Mrs. Gao has the X-Ray results, to which Mrs. Gao, sensing Billi’s panic, hands over. She cries that she never saw him again, and that upon her subsequent visits to China, he was gone, and now Nai Nai is about to go too. SCENE VI. 67–69: Haiyan and Uncle Haibin hide in the hotel canteen, smoking. It makes me think of my nana, an unparalleled caretaker who adopts a militant approach to everything in life: her education, her career, her faith, and her love for us. Nai Nai insists on escorting them down the stairs, despite being in obvious discomfort, and everyone protesting that she should not. As she gets dressed, her sister LITTLE NAI NAI consults with DOCTOR WU and it is clear she is receiving terrible news. As Billi scrambles to collect her mail from the ground, Nai Nai calls her back. Tim Roth and Amanda Plummer play Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, a pair of Bonnie and Clyde-esque criminal lovers, in the opening scene of Pulp Fiction. “Even more reason! Eat!” is shouted in a loving chorus as they shove more food on to one another’s plates. Her mother enters the room, and bluntly tells her that Nai Nai is dying of stage 4 lung cancer, and then drops the bombshells that not only does Nai Nai not know, the doctor only gives her another 3 months at best to live. Billi and Haiyan insist on accompanying her to the banquet hall to see how the wedding banquet arrangements are going. She further teaches Billi on how to behave at this wedding, how to represent herself and bring honour to her family, and reminds her to be generous in spirit, not to be a selfish, closed-off person. Nai Nai then converses with Billi, criticizing Hao Hao’s bride, while Billi tries to defend her. Billi takes note of this revelation, right when Uncle Haibin snaps the photo with everyone bearing frozen smiles while Billi and Little Nai Nai’s faces are obviously in shock. Nai Nai then sidles up to Little Nai Nai, asking her if she had picked up the latest X-Ray results from the hospital. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Our daily schedule: Monday: Scene-By-Scene BreakdownTuesday: PlotWednesday: CharactersThursday: ThemesFriday: DialogueSaturday: Takeaways. Billi sits at the piano, tentatively hitting a few keys, while Nai Nai notices the empty beers surrounding her son, and implores Mr. Li to break out the prized Mao Tai liquor, insisting it is time to celebrate. As Billi assists her mother in preparing her father for bed, Billi insists that Nai Nai should be told the truth, and that she should be resting instead of stressing herself out with planning this wedding celebration. Little Nai Nai is concerned, but Nai Nai waves her off. We all know that A Farewell to Arms ends tragically, with the death of Frederic and Catherine’s son. She then drops the bombshell to everyone that Nai Nai herself lied to Billi’s grandfather/Haiyan’s father when he had cancer, and only told him when it was near the end, explaining that Nai Nai thought it would be cruel to let him leave this world without knowing what got him. Billi is a young Asian-American woman, grappling with her identity and the intergenerational and cultural dissonance that comes with most of your family living on the other side of the world. What do you get out from it? 5–6: Nai Nai’s younger son and Billi’s father, HAIYAN WANG (late 50’s), holds court in his dining room before family and friends. As Billi begins to talk, Nai Nai interrupts her with an impassioned speech that she does not need to worry. As Little Nai Nai happily affirms these opportunities, when she turns away from Jian, her smile drops. ( Log Out /  Though she can’t see him, his smoke lingers like a ghost. It features Awkwafina, the wonderful rapper and actor, in her first starring role.
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