Everyone’s family dynamics are different, and some are more cordial than others — and even though many of us have this built-in support system, it can still feel like our struggles are ours to tackle alone. This is one of many themes that Edward Yang’s turn-of-the-millennium masterpiece Yi Yi speaks to. Universally acclaimed, the late Taiwanese New Wave director’s final film follows the everyday problems of a middle-class family in modern Taipei. The father (played by fellow Taiwanese filmmaker Wu Nien-jen) reconnects with an old flame, the mother experiences a religious void in her life, the daughter navigates the messiness of young love, and the son tries to answer life’s questions through photography. What sounds like a potentially mundane drama expands into a beautiful tapestry. All of these subplots are painfully real, and each viewer is bound to relate to any number of characters in this sprawling ensemble. If you’re looking for a film to inspire empathy and introspection, or to expand your horizons into foreign film, you should check out Yi Yi at the Belcourt this week. For showtimes, visit belcourt.org.
Dec. 6-7 at the Belcourt
2102 Belcourt Ave.
