Happy Birthday Liz (2007)

• 81%
• 2007
• Documentary
• Joanne Cheng

It's a poetic meditation on loss and grief in the face of uncertainty. In a dream-like sequence of iconic moments lived by three female characters—the mother, the daughter and the little girlfriend—the film transports the viewer from sorrow burdened by the weight of memory to joyful affirmation of life despite its fragility. The film taps into the subconscious mind of the characters with minimum action and dialogue. Only the voices of the children are heard. The traditional dances by the children and Chinese Zheng music performed by the mother add a rich cultural flavor to this visual tale with a storyline open to multiple interpretations.