 Star
Ethel Lung in attendance
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Yen Tan’s directorial debut, Happy Birthday,
is a quiet, sensitive, and in many regards, masterful work
about five people in crisis, all of whom share the same birthday.
Ron is a gay preacher devoutly ministering to a group of men
trying to become straight, but he secretly watches gay porn
yearning for a man’s love. Tracy, a student from Taiwan
living in the States must hide her sexuality or confront her
conservative mother when she comes to town. Javed, a Pakistani
disowned by his Islamic family because he is gay, faces deportation
having to leave his American lover behind. Jim is an overweight
gay man who suffers from a debilating low self-esteem and
who, ironically, is a top telemarketer for a weight loss system.
And then there is Kelly, a young woman on the verge of a meltdown
over a recent breakup, who spends her time obsessing over
a former college roommate. As their birthday approaches, all
five must confront these issues causing them to explore the
nature of love, family, and personal boundaries. Happy
Birthday is a rare film–astutely directed with
assured performances– that causes viewers to reflect
on their own lives.
In
Competition: New Director's Showcase
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