Lilting (2014)

Before writer/director Hong Khaou made Monsoon (2019) Baptiste (2021) and Mr Loverman (2024), he released Lilting (2014). Set in contemporary London, this emotional drama introduces us to Junn (Pei-pei Cheng), a Cambodian Chinese mother mourning the loss of her son Kai (Andrew Leung). If that’s not difficult enough, Junn has trouble speaking with those around her due to the language barrier. As such, Kai’s surviving boyfriend Richard (Ben Whishaw) hires a translator named Vann (Naomi Yang, credited as Naomi Christie) to help facilitate conversation. Once Richard begins to chat with Junn, he soon discovers she was not aware that her son was gay. Through verbal and non-verbal communication, Richard and Junn grieve together while celebrating the life of Kai. This pic picked up the Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic at the Sundance Film Festival; was named Outstanding Film - Limited Release at the GLAAD Media Awards; and won an Apolo Award for New Best Director. Also known as Qīngqīng yáohuàng, this skinternational flick features dialogue in English and Mandarin Chinese. We wish we could include the universal language of lust but the movie is pretty modest in its depictions of homosexual relations. Thanks to flashbacks (or should we say fleshbacks?), we do get to see the naked chests on Mr. Whishaw and Mr. Leung as they lounge around together. But don’t expect to see any explicit dudity. Nevertheless, you will need to watch with a box of tissues but that has more to do with the tear-jerking story than with jerking off!