Unfair review #3

Went to see Banana in a Nutshell on Sunday afternoon. It was preceded by the various omens listed in the previous bhog, so obviously I was a little nervous.

The film is about a Chinese New Zealander and her restrictive, traditional parents, and her 7-year relationship with a Pakeha New Zealander.

First off, there were a lot of people waiting for us to be allowed into the theatre - then again, I believe it had sold out screenings in Auckland and Wellington. A fair number of the people in the crowd seemed to be Asians (apologies for this inaccurate term, I have no better) with their Pakeha partners.

I needn't have worried - all the omens were obviously good ones, as this was one of the best of the festival. There's a lesson to be learned here I think - my favourite film from last year was also a low-budget NZ documentary - Kaikohe Demolition (see this if you haven't - it is available to rent now).

The sound was loud and distorted (I think the cinema may have done this), but it couldn't spoil a beautiful and honest slice of life.

This film has it all - humour plays a big role, as it does in real life, but it isn't a comedy, and there are some moments of extreme sadness as well.

My heartfelt congratulations and gratitude go out to Roseanne Liang for letting the audience so deeply into her life - it must have taken a lot to put that kind of thing in the public domain.

As Merrill J. Fernando says, "Do try it."