“Intentional Cinema” Film Series: The Farewell

In this funny, uplifting tale based on an actual lie, Chinese-born, U.S.-raised Billi (Awkwafina) reluctantly returns to Changchun to find that, although the whole family knows their beloved matriarch, Nai-Nai, has been given mere weeks to live, everyone has decided not to tell Nai Nai herself. To assure her happiness, they gather under the joyful guise of an expedited wedding, uniting family members scattered among new homes abroad. As Billi navigates a minefield of family expectations and proprieties, she finds there’s a lot to celebrate. The 2019 film, written and directed by Lulu Wang, runs 96 minutes. It will be followed by a lively conversation led by Norma Austin and Khari Austin-Rawls. Ossie Davis Theater. Free.