Ella
From the Archives
•
04-Sep-2018
Left behind by the same loved one, two Asian American youth search for connection in their small Midwestern town. This tender coming-of-age drama from director Dan Chen expands beyond small, ordinary moments into a deeply felt portrait of alienation and nostalgia. Ella, a brash, cigarette-smoking, slightly older woman, arrives at the home of Abe, a quiet high school student and the brother of Ella’s ex-boyfriend, Sam. They spend the day together, perhaps so she can get info on her ex, or perhaps out of boredom, or both. Running into a group of mostly white peers, they join in on a game called “Fugitive,” which forces Ella and Abe on separate paths through town, creating another absence in a story full of them. The warmth of the film's soft gaze focus is balanced with the struggle of trying to fit in, made real by two wonderful lead performances by Nichole Bloom and Dallas Liu. “Ella” positions them in a fleeting moment — not kids anymore, but not quite adults either — allowing them the strife of not knowing themselves, and the coping mechanisms they’re trying on. -KA. Written and Directed by Dan Chen. Starring Nichole Bloom and Dallas Liu. Produced by Eric Cook, Douglas Kim, and Dan Chen. Cinematography by Philips Shum. Production Designer - Molly Goodman. Edited by Arielle Zakowski.
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