A SEPARATION | Omeleto
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- Опубліковано 2 жов 2024
- A Chinese woman reunites with her husband.
A SEPARATION is used with permission from Yalan Hu. Learn more at yalanhufilms.com.
On a warm autumn day in 1990, Huixian, a young Chinese woman, arrives in Florida. She's reuniting with her husband, who has been pursuing his Ph.D. at a university for the past four years on his own.
Huixian is excited to rejoin her husband and start their family in the U.S., and she has missed her husband dearly. But her transition to American life isn't easy, as she struggles to adapt to a new country and the person her husband has become during their separation.
Directed and written by Yalan Hu, this quietly sensitive short drama is both a portrait of a young, impossibly hopeful wife who finds herself in a new culture and a portrayal of a marriage tentatively testing the strength and durability of its bonds after a significant separation. It opens with a scene of an older Huixian, spotting a young Chinese woman waiting to be picked up at an airport. The sight sparks memories of Huixian's own arrival at the same airport years before and the awkward reunion with her husband that followed.
True to its nostalgic framing, the storytelling is intimate, tender and often elegantly spare in tenor, but the elements that it does lean upon -- evocative dialogue, small yet telling details, muted visuals -- resonate with an unusual thoughtfulness. The sparseness allows character to come to the fore, especially Huixian's. She is curious, observant and eager for her husband's love and company. Her husband, however, is more reserved. He is distant, preoccupied with his work, and evasive about the specifics of the life that he's built up in the U.S. during his wife's absence.
Huixian teases her husband about how American he's become, but the changes she senses are more than cultural. They become clear when she attends a party for the department her husband works and studies within, where she confronts the community and relationships her husband has built up during their separation. He also makes little effort to welcome her into his world. Though the reason why is not surprising, it nevertheless achieves a devastating impact on Huixian, played by actor Michelle Sun in a luminous performance, where aching hopefulness and naivete give way to deep sorrow and quiet devastation.
It's a testament to the film's innate empathy and compassion that the perspectives of both husband and wife are understandable in the end, and the narrative is uninterested in assigning blame. Instead, it gently interrogates and illuminates a complex intertwining: the hopes of immigration, the pursuit of happiness and the fragility of love. Its tone is melancholic, even elegiac, as if mourning the lost possibilities of a marriage that never had a chance to grow. But like the intrepid, resilient woman at its center, A SEPARATION is ultimately hopeful, as Huixian confronts the loss of one dream, which propels her to find her own version of happiness for herself.
Wow, this film hit home hard. My dad went to America for a PhD degree when I was 5. Making international phone calls was super expensive in the 90s, we could only phone him once every two weeks. My mom and I waited 6 years to join him there. We were lucky, they never separated ever since.
I'm glad to hear a true happy ending after seeing this film. I can see it from both sides.
Reminds me of the separation of families during the first wave of HK immigrants in the 80s
I had a blast doing the music for this film. Yalan is a wonderful director and was so encouraging during the recording process:):):):)
Oh wow! The music was one of my favorite part of the movie. You did a wonderful job!
Did an amazing job on the music! Way to go ❤❤
She was so cute and happy, the guy really blew it.
Sometimes, losing is winning. But never lose yourself.
I love your comment on this.
This was sooooo good! The acting, the pacing, the dialogue. Excellent.
So good. Such a nice transition from the hopeful wife to the independent woman. Love Michelle Sun's character so much!
I can see how their story as an immigrant couple is like her love story before/after the separation. Taking risks in an uncertain future for a better life, the fear of starting over in a new place and it's long-term benefits.
The “wife” character-WOW! She was incredible in this-so natural! Great film.
So many layers and so much depth of human emotion in this film. Great acting Michelle Sun!
This short film was beautiful and heart wrenching. I do not support the husband leaving his wife for 4 years. Why do some people think a better life is leaving you behind while they create new relationships with others. You may have more financial stability but now you have infidelity and are alone in the marriage. The acting was incredible. The authenticity pulled at my heart. How dare the husband take her to a work party and leave her alone. How dare the husband allow that woman/assistant to touch him in front of his wife. When you love someone who work hard not to disrespect and hurt them. How dare the husband not come home for dinner. Honest communication is vital in a marriage.
It is said that the most successful marriages are with the most forgiving partners.
Great job! Loved everything about this one. That bench scene 😭
My favorite scene in this movie.
Was that blonde assistant ever interested in him ,or was she just being a flirt?.
The quality of this filmmaking was AMAZING!
This is really an awesome short and now I'm glad I have an easy way to share it with others.
What a touchingly devastating yet redemptive story. Congratulations to all the film makers involved! The acting was so good! The cinematography was gorgeous. There was definitely a very person touch to this film that you feel from the get go. Can't wait to see more from this director!
I saw this film at the premiere. I loved it then, and I love it now. I'm glad it's finally available on streaming.
I was there too! Great film and the production was spot on!
Thank you for watching! ❤️
Bravo, you were amazing
You truly were amazing.
Would love to see more from you if anything is available?❤❤
BRAVO
It doesn't seem all that complicated to me. He betrayed her. In all the ways that matter. Could it have been avoided by fallible humans? That part, I'm not sure. Someone goes into another culture and immerses himself in the competitive nature, it changes the person's outlook on life. Maybe the invitation to his wife to visit was an inevitable reckoning of this change. Maybe it was necessary in order to begin anew in alignment with his new perspective. Not saying that the new life is any better; pretending that the new outlook doesn't exist, however, is inauthentic and not likely to last.
Detractors from that view might point out that love is an active choice, except among the emotionally immature. Detractors might also say that if you flit from one value system to the next in the name of authenticity, it's selfish. Both are good points. In the end, it's up to the individual to look within themselves and decide whether they can authentically commit to and uphold the old life (eventually, if not right away) or whether it's kinder to cut the other person loose. In that sense, maybe he was being honest with his answer of "maybe".
Regardless of the above, the dude was being a grade-A "hole" in the callous way he treated her.
Moving performance! Heartbreaking and optimistic! Well done! ❤
So happy to see this film on UA-cam! Loved it!
Nice combination of alienation and change within a couple. Nice film.
Wow excellent in every way. I very much enjoyed this film..well done!
This is so true. 01:30 I remember how it felt when I bought my first after I came to the U.S. It feels like such a luxury.
Oh my gosh! I'm so glad the movie is finally streaming here. I've been wanting to see it.
Well done everyone. 💙🌎
What a great story.. it touched my heart...
Very well done as usual for Omeleto. Great script, great acting
Loved it. Filled me with so much hope and … I was in a relationship like that for 22 years before I finally woke up… it’s OK just took me a little longer. Smile smile.. glad to see she took care of herself and has new friends.🤗🙏
Dear Nancy, i hope you are (doing) fine now! Wish you the best!
Loved every minute of this. Great short film!
This film made my heart cry...
Closed caption enables deaf and hard of hearing people to watch and enjoy such films. Even hearing people need closed caption when they are in noisy places and when they have no headphones.
Amazing performances! Really enjoyed this film.
Very well done and scored!
Congratulations! Great job!
Enjoyed watching the movie/acting but really enjoyed the music! Bravo ! 👏 👏 👏 👏
Yeah the music is one of my favorite thing about this film too
Wow!!! So good. Very touching and poignant. ❤❤❤
Excellent!
Great job by all, I love watching small films that have that Big Film look.Congrats to all involved, especially Yalan.
Touching and realistic
Ahh using Satie's Gymnopodie got me
It was so appropriate. But I thought the music at the end was even more heartbreaking.
Congrats on the great short film!
Excellent short - acting, music, costumes (that burgundy velvet dress! flipflops and running outfits!). Congratulations to all creators
Beautiful story ❤
Well made....very touching.
Fresh and engaging-bursting with realism, emotion, and character growth! Such a beautiful short film!
Congratulations to everyone involved! 🎉
Well done, superb script and acting. Thanks, but I feel sad!
Long legs, round butt… 6:52 this part is pretty funny 😂😂
Feels like she has a thing for the blonde
I mean, the blonde didn't even match that description at all. But it's funny how he said that he never noticed.
It's hilarious. That's what people outside of the U.S. see on social media now a days. Long legs and big butts. 😂
@@warchibanbruh 😂 you’re spot on. The way he said it was everything
@@Ghstrdr2and now even obesity is so celebrated
My heart goes to the wife..!
I am from Portugal and my husband is from the US, where we met during our master's degree programs. I was in the US under international student status, meaning that I had no guarantees on being able to stay in the country and had/have none of the privileges as a citizen or permanent resident.
When my husband and I were applying for our doctoral degrees, we made a promise to never go to separate cities/states, no matter what. Our fields are not the same. It was not easy to find places that offered different programs. We tried for 2 years - a lot of setbacks, waiting period, disappointments during that process, and tears - but we eventually we got in together in the same institution. 2 months ago, we graduated the same day with our degrees. I still can't believe it, but we did it, together.
We see how hard it can get to couples going into separate places, being far away from each other. A doctoral degree path is already very hard on itself. Being separate from each other could not be good for us, enduring 5-6 years of separation. We knew we had to make it work, even if it meant putting on hold some other plans. I'm so glad we could do this together. I know not all couple have that option...
I love the honestly of this film .
Beautifully crafted... kudos to everyone from Writer and Director Yalan Hu to Cinematographer, everyone in the crew, to cast - a story so sad, yet so common, and one that only sometimes ends well.
Fabulous short - such a poignant and real story. Michelle Sun knocks it out of the park!
A Separation has the precision of an O’Henry story, the emotional strength of Chris Markers’s La Jette and the visual wisdom of Maya Deren.
Wow I love how you described it
Real life experiences depicted so well in this short film. Well done! 🎉
So good, thanks Omeleto!
the bench scene captured a whole lot
Separation from one and unification with another one, pun not intended. Such separation led to their version of gratification.
Pun?
What’s the pun?
Epic! The director is a genius ❤❤
I see you michelle! Great job!
Can't help but think she had four years to learn English.
True, but it is difficult to learn another language if you don't have native speakers to practice it with.
English is not the problem. He probably had to marry her under deep family pressure that he escaped while working abroad. He never loved her. If you want a politically correct and official version.
@@tobe-you-tube6612 I'm not commenting on the relationship but that she was moving to an English-speaking country.
Funny you should mention that_ I'm learning Italian for that very reason!🤔
Starting to learn a foreign language this late In life can be daunting when your livelihood depends on that. My friend was told to go back and learn English at an interview. Can you imagine yourself in that situation?
👍🏽❤️🎬
Great film! I really felt for her.
Good scripting wonderful storytelling ❤well acted
Had a choice to make forty years ago....blue eyed blonde or a beautiful Chinese woman...I chose the blonde and the marriage lasted forty years until she left to find herself! I often wonder had I chosen the latter what would have been. She looked (forty years ago) quite a bit like Michelle Sun's character. Would have, could have, should have, or not........the age old question of decision making.
My heart just broke watching this. The poor wife and the cheating was bad enough but then for his mistress to come after her at the bus stop, that was brutal. Fantastic actors!
Great film!!
touching story ❤ love this .
Somehow reminds me of Tony Parsons’ «My favourite wife»
Didn’t understand the relation of the end with the film
Ahava Adonai Ahava Israel Elehenu Adonai Hashem
Beautiful film! Well done to the whole team, and especially Michelle Sun -- excellent performance.
Lovely!
Haisan Japan
Homie was the opposite of a passport bro.
👏👏👏👏👏
American culture conquers all.
Very nice short. As usual, Omeleto is bending over backwards to show films that approach everything that is non-white-male with tenderness and understanding, emphasizing its suffering (often enough inflicted by bad white males). If no white males are involved, as here, the lower branches of the intersectional hierarchy of oppression are followed: male < female, white < non-white, asian < black, heterosexual < homosexual etc.
You keep leaving comments like these and I have a genuine question for you: what's wrong with films showing non-white, sometimes not heterosexual people in a positive light? Just because you are not represented, it doesn't mean those films are not important.
OMG, she's CHEATING on him?!
EDIT: I was only joking....
EDIT EDIT: I DID watch it, and as usual, enjoyed it.
She is not cheating, at the end she is in a different car, not her husband's, so I think at the end we see what happened after the party - they separated (divorced?), she got a job and her own car, and a new boyfriend. And the girl near the door reminded her of her younger self. So, we are told about two separations here - before she came to America and after.
@@-svet-ka- yeah I think so too. The main story is her memory when she's looking back into her past at the airport.
The husband doesnt love her, doesnt want children and replaced her with the blonde. did you not watch the movie ???
No, not her bf yet. They are just friends. He is telling her about the girls in NY are so hot.
lol ppl these days can’t recognize sarcasm and jokes sometimes
Four years apart can be a very long time for some people and I don't blame him. She became an independent woman, the best thing that could ever happen to her.
I really enjoyed this.
So sad for both of them. They have nothing eternal to ground them in devotion and true love. First Corinthians 13: 4-8 is the definition of true love.
I don't see anything sad. They were incompatible from the start - he is highly educated, she does not seem to be; she does not eat beef, he enjoys it; she wants children, he does not; I am sure they had other differences as well which we were not told about - they have very little in common, if at all. So, at the end they both found more suitable partners. What is sad about it? I see it as a happy end.
What seems to be sad at the time can always turn to happiness later. Keeping a promise can be hard, but you always have a choice.