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He looks back at her timidly, reminiscent of the little boy hes rapidly leaving behind.
But its an image that walks out of the theater with you.
Its a work he credits with inspiring his own journey into filmmaking.
It is perhaps this moment of teenage cruelty that makes the final moments of the film so overwhelming.
Wang would have none of it.
She has a deeply felt presence, Wang explained.
Chen brought an extremely personal commitment to her role inDidi.
Her age was also not the liability she feared.
To be a better mother.
And all of that just came when we were doing that [final] shot.
Chens presence in the film feels almost spiritual, giving life to a kind of raw, unlimited love.
Chungsing exists, like most real human beings, somewhere in between these extreme images.
The tears were unexpected.
I am not demonstrative, usually.
I dont cry in front of people, she explained.
Except for that particular shot, it was easy.
When the camera turns to Chris, the look he gives his mother is both shy and innocent.
While it wasnt a stated intention of the director, I also read an uncertainty in Chriss face.
A sort of fear he doesnt quite understand.
Theres an embarrassment, a who, me?
to the way he receives his mothers gaze.
Yes, he is his mothers dream, but how could he be enough?
I asked both director and actor what they hope people take from the films ending.
Hopefully, people reflect on their own childhoods, reflect on their own relationships with their moms.
