A First Farewell

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A First Farewell

Released Feb 26, 2021

1h 26m

Drama

Documentary

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100%

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7 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Wang Lina's experimental debut explores the sensitivity shared by narrative filmmaking and documenting reality, unveiling poetry from the minutiae of Uighurs' life in Xinjiang like none other. Tailing an endearing boy named Isa in Shaya, her heavenly home village surrounded by textured sand dunes and millennia-old trees, she tugs viewers' heartstrings with a story about treasures in his carefree childhood and how they gradually fade away, as love, home, and personal advancement get weighed against another for this generation of minority children, who must bid many farewells to assimilate into the more widely acknowledged best life.

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Michael Ordoña

Los Angeles Times

"A First Farewell" is a gorgeously shot window into a world most of us hadn't looked through before, but it's worth examining the meanings of its images.

Feb 26, 2021

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Richard Kuipers

Variety

Beautifully photographed and performed by amazingly talented non-professional child actors, Wang's film is an emotionally rewarding glimpse into challenges faced by this Muslim minority.

Mar 18, 2019

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Clarence Tsui

The Hollywood Reporter

A First Farewell offers a subtle yet incisive look at how China's Muslim minority grapples with the pressure to ditch their own culture and conform to the social norms of the day.

Feb 27, 2019

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Weiting Liu

InSession Film

From the children’s innocent perspectives of their separation from a dear friend, this film is an essential and emotional viewing experience.

Rated: A

Jul 15, 2024

Full Review

Ray Lobo

Film Threat

If A First Farewell is Wang's debut, it boggles the mind what her future films hold in store for us.

Rated: 9/10

Mar 5, 2021

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Anita Katz

San Francisco Examiner

Wang's down-to-earth tone, familiarity with the subject matter, and success in inspiring natural and sometimes delightful performances from the nonprofessional young cast result in a thoroughly engaging, believable, and quietly moving story.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 18, 2021

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Michael L

Deep dive into the lives of Muslims living in a rural area of China. It shows the struggles of life for the community and especially two families. We get a window into the interactions of the children and the local school. Also, we can see the relationships between husbands and wives as well as the decisions made for the future of the children. Well done, poetic, authentic, and different from mainstream films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/17/23

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s r

Fascinating and beautiful to tell the story of a Uighur family and their struggles in modern day China. I was surprised they allowed a Winnie the Pooh shirt pass through the censors, but I bet that it was to take subtle jabs at the Chinese government. I am surprised it was endorsed and supported by the CCP. Regardless, it still meandered and lost direction for me. It was on Amazon.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Lina Wang

Director

Kalbinur Rahmati

Kalbinur

Tajigul Heilmeier

Kalbinur's Mother

Yasan Kamisu

Isa's Father

Rahmati Kuramu

Kalbinur's Father

Alinaz Rahmati

Kalbinur's Brother

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A First Farewell: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Wang Lina's experimental debut explores the sensitivity shared by narrative filmmaking and documenting reality, unveiling poetry from the minutiae of Uighurs' life in Xinjiang like none other. Tailing an endearing boy named Isa in Shaya, her heavenly home village surrounded by textured sand dunes and millennia-old trees, she tugs viewers' heartstrings with a story about treasures in his carefree childhood and how they gradually fade away, as love, home, and personal advancement get weighed against another for this generation of minority children, who must bid many farewells to assimilate into the more widely acknowledged best life.

Director: Lina Wang
Screenwriter: Lina Wang
Distributor: Cheng Cheng Films
Genre: Drama, Documentary
Original Language: Chinese
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 26, 2021, Limited
Runtime: 1h 26m

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