In describing her own film, director Minghui Lu gave a curious but perceptive preface: that the parents of the protagonist in the movie are not “evil” and that they just belonged in a different time. It's a profound but touching take on intergenerational differences, a theme conveyed with subtle, sensitive and sagacious treatment. “Cool Breeze,” to say the least, invites introspection while also delivering a most heartfelt narrative.
“Cool Breeze” is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
The story revolves around the unlikely friendship between Chen Rui and Lin Xufen, a young girl caught in the rebellious phase of adolescence and a woman suffering from a terminal illness. Rui, an only child, is thrust into an unenviable position of both being an unwilling participant in her parents' gatherings while also being the sole witness to how they talk behind their back. The adults dismiss her as a spoiled brat, a teenager whose temperament and actuations are becoming harder for them to grasp and comprehend. But not for Xufen, however, whom Rui refers to as Aunt Fen. Fen, despite suffering from physical malaise, lives like a free spirit. Over photos, food and conversations, they form a bond like no other.
Lu maximizes the magic of mis-en-scene to create a world where this bond is nurtured. She places Rui and Fen in a backdrop of picturesque Hangzhou, China, not merely for aesthetics, but to send the message that this is a safe space for them where they could freely discuss anything and everything, including the prickly differences in approaching religion and its rituals. From backgrounds, to shadows, to light, Lu creatively maneuvers and places all of these elements in a visual composition that craftily conveys the story's emotional depth.
Zeyu Ping hits all the right spots as Rui – she can be petulant and aloof, but caring and sensitive at the same time. She's very believable as the young person who hates the rest of the world but can open her heart and herself to someone who genuinely wants to know her. Li Jingting as Fen is simply majestic. There is no room for theatrics from her. What she delivers is a balanced expression of fragility, submission and felicity.
This is a movie where each corner and reflection from a mirror amplifies emotional and mental distance. Lu knows how to weave a narrative from the crevices of space and structure. It's this careful execution of cinematic language which makes “Cool Breeze” definitely impactful in less than 30 minutes.
