The Farewell (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in two main locations: New York, where Billi lives and works, and China, where her family gathers for a wedding. The contrast between these two settings highlights the cultural divide that Billi experiences throughout the movie.

• setting
• locations
• new york
• china
• cultural divide

The movie is set in contemporary, modern times. It reflects present-day life in both America and China, exploring current cultural practices and family dynamics without being anchored to a specific historical period.

• time period
• modern
• contemporary
• setting

The film explores cultural identity through Billi's struggle to reconcile her American upbringing with her Chinese heritage. It highlights the tension between Western and Eastern values, particularly around honesty versus protection, and the sense of belonging and responsibility to family.

• cultural identity
• heritage
• belonging
• east west values

Family bonds are central to the film, showing how Billi's family navigates the difficult decision to hide Nai Nai's terminal illness from her. It illustrates the cultural differences in how families handle illness and mortality, with the family prioritizing collective protection over individual truth.

• family bonds
• family secrets
• protection
• cultural differences

Grief and loss serve as an undercurrent throughout the film. Billi grapples with the impending loss of her grandmother while also dealing with her own feelings of inadequacy and disconnection from her cultural roots. The wedding celebration becomes a bittersweet backdrop for this emotional journey.

• grief
• loss
• terminal illness
• emotional journey

Billi is a young woman portrayed by Awkwafina who lives in New York and struggles with her identity and place within her family. She feels torn between her American life and her Chinese heritage, and her emotional journey centers on reconciling these two sides of herself while facing her grandmother's illness.

• billi
• awkwafina
• protagonist
• identity

Nai Nai is Billi's grandmother, portrayed by Shuzhen Zhou. She is depicted as a vibrant, strong, and traditional figure who embodies the family's cultural values. Despite her health struggles, her wisdom and humor provide comfort and a sense of continuity for the entire family.

• nai nai
• grandmother
• family matriarch
• tradition

Haiyan is Billi's father, portrayed by Tzi Ma. He represents the bridge between Eastern and Western perspectives within the family. His protective nature drives him to help maintain the family secret about Nai Nai's illness, embodying the conflict between wanting to protect loved ones and facing difficult truths.

• haiyan
• father
• bridge between cultures
• protection

The family uses a wedding as a pretext to gather in China, creating a joyful celebration that masks the real reason for their reunion: being with Nai Nai during her final days. The wedding represents the cultural tradition of celebrating life even in the face of impending loss.

• wedding
• celebration
• family gathering
• tradition

The film has a bittersweet tone, balancing warmth, humor, and family joy with the underlying sadness of impending loss. It handles serious themes of illness and death with gentleness, finding moments of levity in family dynamics while exploring profound emotional territory.

• tone
• bittersweet
• emotional
• humor
• warmth