By coincidence we’re all guilty of telling people a so called ‘white lie’. A not so bad lie, to soften the truth a bit. Because it’s easier to protect yourself or someone else than hurt them with the truth.
And that’s what “The Farewell” is all about. This comic, but true, drama from Lulu Wang revolves around one large collective lie of the whole family towards their grandmother.
The story is about grandmother Nai Nai, who has terminal lung cancer but doesn’t know she is very ill. Her family decided to rather not inform her and give her 3 more carefree months than inform her about her terminal illness. Her grandchild Billi is Chinese-American and grew up in America. She has a hard time empathizing with this togetherness of the Chinese family. She believes both she and Nai Nai have the right to share this grief together.
The family sets a wedding in scene, so that they can secretly say goodbye to grandma. Billi returns to China, little against her will, to attend this disguised farewell party. When she arrived in China she noticed both recognition and alienation from the life she had lived in China as a little girl.
Because writer Wang has experienced this situation herself, she knows how to portray the emotions of the characters like no other.
For the promotion of this film, and as a nice give away in the cinemas, World of Cookies was approached by The Searchers to produce the Fortune Cookies. The Searchers release a variety of films within the Benelux.
With a beautiful family portret printed in full colour on the wrapper we produced these customized Cookies. Inside the Cookies you could find quotes and wisdoms from the movie.
With the meaning of this film in mind, we realized more about the meaning of charity. We have been working on this campaign with great pleasure!
Some Farewell Fortune Cookie quotes:
* think of your grandmother. She is the key to everything.
* Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know.
* Life is not just about what you do, it’s more about how you do it.
* A film will bring you new insights.
