Dim Sum Funeral (Anna Chi, 2008): Canada

Reviewed by Kathleen Amboy. Viewed at the Metro 4, Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Okay so I’m a foodie and the first thing that came to mind when I saw the title Dim Sum Funeral was tasty Chinese dumplings – often trekking myself to Chinatown, San Francisco to indulge in such treats.  A healing occurs and bonds form as each work out their own day-to-day struggles in life such as the painful loss of a child, extra-marital affairs, single parenting and sexual identity, which all ends with a surprising twist.

If you’re looking for “creativity” it’s there in the writing, acting and unfolding of the plot – so look deep. There are no splashy special effects, CGI or stylistic editing, just simplicity. This film has a terrific ensemble cast of seasoned familiar faces.

It was such a great honor to have Anna Chi and several cast members present for Q & A – I found most of the filmmakers at the SBIFF to be refreshingly honest and humble about their work. I was curious how Talia Shire ended up in Anna’s film; her reply was “friend of a friend” and that she wanted a non-Asian actor to play Viola and Talia loved the script, as she had recently mourned the loss of her own mother.