'The Farewell': Love, Lies, and Family Ties

<p><strong>‘The Farewell,’ a film about a Chinese American woman with an all-Asian cast and dialogue that is largely in Mandarin, has surpassed ‘Avengers: Endgame’ with the largest per-theater box office average this year.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>Starring Awkwafina — the scene-stealer from ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ —&nbsp;the heartfelt dramedy provides the latest evidence of the power of a key underserved audience. But ‘The Farewell’ also tells a universal story of family, love, and grief that anyone can relate to.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>When filmmaker Lulu Wang pitched the semi-autobiographical story of her family’s efforts to keep her grandmother from learning of her Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, studio executives pushed for a white love interest, and a Chinese version of ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’</strong></p><p><strong>But Wang stuck to her vision, and refused to resort to a predictable storyline.&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>Will this tale of an American immigrant family be the indie hit for the summer of 2019?&nbsp;</strong></p><p><strong>Mark Olsen (@IndieFocus) talks with Times film critic Justin Chang (@JustinCChang) and Times film reporter Jen Yamato (@jenyamato</strong>).</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>