This is easily one of the stand-out films for me this year. It's an up-close and personal journey through the eyes of a child (Eve Eng). She is promised by her grandmother one morning as she heads off slightly late to school that she'll water the garden for her so she can get going with her sister, Karena. Upon returning they find out that grandmother collapsed due to the work in the garden. Ridden with guilt, the young Eve has visions of the grandmother after her death. When her slightly domineering older sister (aren't they all?) starts exploring the Christian faith, little Eve has other visions as well -- goddess statues coming to life and dancing in the house at night; the Buddha and Jesus figures dancing together in the living room. It's quite humorous to see the young girl's mind try to wrap around the conflicting faith with her Buddhist background. Her mother starts to come around, too, surmising that it's better and safer "to have two gods around the house," instead of one. There's lots of fun adventure as the two girls begin their mission of perpetual sorrow, trying to convert their friends, and learning more about their newfound faith at a local Catholic church. The Q&A with Director Julia Kwan was charming. When asked how much of the story was autobiographical, she answered, "Well, I've never seen anyone choke on long noodles before," but then later described how her mom did accept and embrace the girls' faith with the "two gods are better than one" attitude. Fascinating.
It brings up many good questions and ideas about evangelism and living the life of a believer in a world where not everyone shares our belief. The close-minded and mean behavior of some of the girls in the Sunday School class (where they torment Eve for being named after "the original sinner") shed some insight into real struggles. The polite rejection they face as Karena tries to convert her Sikh friend that she's obviously attracted to as an adolescent girl. The difficulty of family tension revolving around faith is explored heavily, giving some example of acceptance and love even without total conversion.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 14, 2006 11:07 AM