Written By
Director: Ka-Fai Wai
Actors: Ching Wan Lau, Kelly Lin, Mia Yam
PlotA family is devastated when the father dies in a car accident. The mother, played by Kelly Lin, and her two children struggle to cope with the overwhelming grief. The daughter, portrayed by Mia Yam, finds solace through writing, deciding to pen a novel where her father, who in their reality is dead, is alive and their family continues as though the tragic event never happened. This act of writing soon blends with their grief-stricken lives, causing blurred lines between fiction and reality. Each family member grapples with their own version of coping, leading them through a series of emotional and psychological twists and turns.
The mother's attempt to move on involves engaging in the daughter's narrative, while the son struggles with his disbelief and withdrawal. As the narrative of the written story unfolds, it is interwoven with their lives, creating an intricate play between the imagined novel’s storyline and their real life experiences. The daughter's story becomes a coping mechanism, offering temporary escapes and moments of reunion with their lost father. However, the deep immersion into a fictional world also brings about complex emotional challenges. Through the overlap of imagination and real-life mourning, the film explores themes of loss, memory, and the powerful impact of narrative in shaping our lives.
Writers: Ka-Fai Wai, Kin-Yee Au
Release Date: 10 Jul 2009
Runtime: 85 min
Rating: N/A
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese
Home Video Reviews
With a video presentation falling just short of top marks and reference-standard audio, 'Written By' offers a fantastic transfer, although extras lack English subtitles.
Read our review of Written By Blu-ray Joi sun ho 再生號 to find out more