WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
WATCH THE FILM HERE with all proceeds going to the filmmakers!
First, the Recap:
Well, as they say, “That’s life!”. It almost seems like a cliché, something to dismiss offhand or, at minimum, not even take seriously. Yet contained within those two words is a world of realization, of actual truth, that it perhaps isn’t really life we’re concerned about–but death. How death impacts us is a wide-ranging exploration and with any numbers of reactions we can muster when discussing it, no matter what, it stays with us. So as this examination of death comes forth, we are witness to its effects on a multitude of people, and maybe through it all, we will come out with a greater appreciation and even–reverence–for the final breath that one day comes for us all.
Next, my Mind:
Despite this being a visual medium that presents its narrative about “the end”, all it signifies, and the ways it brings about our thoughts to the realness of mortality, it seems even more fitting that someone with a poet’s sensibilities in principal and literal practice, writer/director Ye Mimi, would approach this 25-minute short with an almost fantastical yet intensely real portrait of death infused with a lyrical quality. Screened at the 2020 Berlin Revolution Film Festival, Mimi’s effort becomes a sobering yet enlightened commentary on its primary theme, doing so with a mix of moods that carry both emotional and philosophical weight in each sequence.
There are depictions of receiving news of the loss of a loved one, scenes of funeral gatherings, rituals being carried out, conversations about the inevitability of death, other brief but unsettling images that I felt are meant to illustrate and remind us about shedding the mortal form, and artistic interpretations of remembrance. All of this encompasses the equally expansive storm of emotions tied to these events–sadness, anger, disbelief, and denial while plumbing the concept of how often we wish to delay it even knowing overall it cannot be stopped.
But, then comes (if it seems possible in the mind to do so when speaking on death) the lighter and more healing side of its equation when also understanding that within the grieving there can come fond memory, knowing the joy those dear to us who’ve passed on brought us, and that even though the physical presence to grasp onto, to interact with, may no longer be here, the power of recalling all that was good about them can help us mend inside, ease the distraught heart, soothe the soul, and allow us to become free of the burden their passing brought upon us, instead releasing our own soul and knowing their memory lives on forever.
To bring all of these facets to life, the film utilizes a multitude of actors to fill roles relevent to the grander themes being displayed. AYA bring a vibrant yet stirring performance to start things out as a character named Jiao Gui-Ying, a woman of stature who becomes the first to demonstrate a reaction to heartbreaking news and sets the film’s initial tone well. Hing Chin plays a fortune teller who engages in a conversation with a man (played by Zheng Kai-Yi) about death and tries to be a voice of truth for the man’s questioning of it. Life is played by Chen Yen-Lu, Death by Lee Chi-Ching, a young woman painting a memory of one lost is portrayed by Lee Wang-Ling, and a voiceover on a pivotal phone call is done by Manray Hsu.
Additional “humans” are portrayed by Hsu Hen-Pin, Tsai Pei-Lin, Yeh Chien-Wu, and Hsu Pei-Ling. Another beautiful moment found is during the film’s finale when Mimi shares a particulary insightful and moving poetic verse that puts an affecting exclamation point on the narrative, especially when now realizing how deeply personal this film is for Mimi and that it was born out of her own experiences with losing someone dear to her. So, in total, with its intents and gravitas worn squarely on its sleeve, “CeaseSusurrating” is an epic ode to that which we don’t like to think about, discuss, or accept, delivering it in a way that makes it just a little more palatable and, unexpectedly, hopeful. That’s indie film, folks, and why this critic continues to support and promote it.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
