WEI-LAI | Omeleto

From the creator

A young boy wants to be adopted. Wei-Lai is the son of Chinese parents living in the U.S. But when he receives yet another spanking from his strict father, Wei-Lai decides to take matters into his own hands -- he flees to his best friend Luca's house, where he offers himself up for adoption. He's done with being Chinese and being his father's son. But a child's whim turns into a more complex power play and identity crisis, as Wei-Lai disavows his Chinese heritage. He longs to be white, believing that white parents love their children more. But he comes to see that things, and love, aren't as simple as they seem. Directed and written by Robin Wang, this touching short dramedy takes on some serious subject matter: the gap between immigrant parents and their children, and different cultural attitudes to childrearing and parenting. But it handles its themes with a child's lightness and aplomb, though always with an eye on its young protagonist's emotional undercurrents. There's a touch of Wes Anderson-like whimsy in the droll humor, quirky flourishes and distinctively picture-book rhythms and visuals. Much of that mirrors Wei-Lai, whose response after being punished too harshly is childlike in its simplicity and funny in its execution, especially as he pitches his potential mom about what he can bring to the family. The first half of the film emphasizes the playfulness of Wei-Lai's plans, and the storytelling has a delicate charm, accompanied by light, luminous cinematograp

Published 2023-05-09 · Watch on YouTube ↗
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