Director Lulu Wang tells the story of Billi, a Chinese American woman who returns home to visit her family. She learns that her grandmother, Nai Nai, has been diagnosed with cancer, but in Chinese culture, family members usually keep certain things, like a diagnosis, a secret. Billi struggles to maintain a happy facade while grieving her grandma. The Farewell is based on Wang's real-life family, and all of the characters are based on real-life people.
The film takes place in Changchun, China, and opens at the cemetery, where the family visits Wang's grandfather's grave. The cultural dynamics of the film revolve around Billi’s family and their decision to keep their grandmother Nai Nai’s cancer diagnosis a secret from her. This tradition is central to the story, demonstrating how deeply rooted cultural values continue to shape family decisions in China today. The Wang family believes that if they were to tell Nai Nai she has cancer, the stress would kill her faster. They want Nai Nai to live her last days with joy instead of the fear of dying.
The doctors also withhold the news from Nai Nai, a practice that would be considered unethical in the U.S., demonstrating a difference between Eastern and Western culture, which connects to Billi's struggle to find her identity within her family and social life.
Typically, American culture prioritizes individualism, which directly clashes with her Chinese side of the family choosing to put the family first by telling a lie. Billi’s parents get upset when she suggests telling Nai Nai the truth, in the belief that keeping the secret relates to the cultural philosophy that if someone in the family is struggling, the entire family is struggling. Confucius, a Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 BCE, was a proponent of the idea that family is a primary institution, and any decisions should be made by the entire family rather than by an individual. While this is different from Western practices, the medical beliefs in China hold that distress and fear can hasten an individual's death.
Wang has spoken about the way growing up in the U.S. influenced her approach to making this film. In China, withholding this truth is an act of love, while in the U.S., it would not be viewed this way in most cases. When Billi’s mom says, “It’s not the cancer that kills, it's the fear”, the tone is set immediately for the film.
Wang describes Billi as a 'fish out of water' who doesn’t see things the same way her family does. Because she was raised in America, she has an individualistic mindset and values personal freedom, while her Chinese-born family doesn’t; they see the family as a unit that makes decisions. This makes it difficult for Billi to accept her family's decision to lie to Nai Nai.
The Farewell (2019) was nominated for and won several awards, many of which recognized Awkwafina’s performance. The film's accolades include a Golden Globe. The Farewell grossed $23.1 million at the box office. As Wang's second feature film, The Farewell resonated with many viewers, perhaps contributing to its popularity.
