Murmur of the Hearts
Description
With a dreamy interweaving of past and present, Sylvia Chang’s Taiwan-set drama tells the story of two siblings who were separated at a young age. In the present, Mei (Isabella Leong) is a mercurial artist, involved in a frustrating relationship with an aspiring boxer. Her brother Nan (Lawrence Ko) leads tours of Green Island, the place where they grew up until Mei was whisked away to Taipei. The story behind this separation and its ramifications for the two protagonists unfolds with careful attention and speaks powerfully to the way women’s lives can be stifled and to how a child’s search and need for parental validation can carry into adulthood. To further amplify her themes, Chang employs several potent devices, including a mermaid tale told to Mei and Nan by their mother and a couple of ineffably moving fantasy sequences where characters are able to obtain the closure they lack in real life. With true emotional power and great performances by all involved, Murmur of the Hearts builds to a moving and healing finale.
Trailer
//www.youtube.com/embed/Zjw2FxT3kd4Film Details
Language Mandarin, Taiwanese
Year 2015
Runtime 119
Country Hong Kong/Taiwan
Director Sylvia Chang
Producer Patricia Cheng
Writer Sylvia Chang, Yukihiko Kageyama
Editor Chen Po-wen
Cinematographer Leung Ming-kai
Music Chen Yang
Cast Isabella Leong, Joseph Chang, Lawrence Ko
Print Source Red on Red