By: Malasha Parker
Dua Ji is a short film about the emotional state of an eldest daughter as she grapples with the passing of her mother. It’s deeply personal and forces the viewers to see how hard it can be to always follow rules or take on burdens because of your place in the family. With an absolutely heartbreaking performance from Kuei-Mei Yang, Dua Ji grounds viewers into a place of reflection on love, family and grief.
A-Hsien (Kuei-Mei Yang) awaits her family to join her in preparation for the burial of the matriarch of their family. She greets them and they begin to make the arrangements for the services. Her family asks a lot of her about how things should be and what plans she has made for the funeral. A-Hsien takes everything in stride and responds cordially. It is shown in her face that she is holding back her emotions for the sake of her family. Though her brother A-Hong (Chia-Kuei Chen) broaches topics with her that make her uncomfortable to confront. He and his wife have a plan on what to do with their mother’s house, but A-Hsien doesn’t completely agree. And even though she is the eldest daughter, she still gets pushed aside for responsibilities because she is not a son. When it’s time for the funeral services, the order of everything begins with the first son instead of the eldest child. So, A-Hsien gets pushed aside. She rebels in these moments because of her closeness to their mother as she feels that she should hold just as much respect. By the end of the short film, A-Hsien releases all of her built up pain to have a moment to truly grieve her mother.
Kuei Mei Yang is brilliant as a woman mourning her mother. She uses her sense of calm yet stern demeanor to portray the sadness of her character A-Hsien. Grief and pain does not appear the same for everyone, so witnessing the way she easily shows it is relatable. Her silent rebellion is done loudly with the actions she makes when she’s so quickly being disregarded. It is a moving performance that audiences can see themselves in. The supporting cast also does a great job at showing how families are not always “in the know” about their family members’ feelings. They are outwardly showing their pain and look like they may resent her for not doing the same, but they are just grieving differently.
Director/Screenwriter YuHan Tsai shares the traditions of rural Taiwan in a delicate way. Showing the small customs of folding napkins in a specific way and the way their families mourn upon first entering the house of the one lost. It’s sad to watch these people go through. YuHan Tsai allows for space to be taken up by showing the way each person is handling the loss of their loved one. The dynamics of the family are easily shown without many words having to be spoken. The messages of hurt, grief and A-Hsien’s push against the patriarchal traditions are clearly made known.
Dua Ji is the perfect depiction of what people would describe as “eldest daughter syndrome.” At first it just seems like a film about death and grieving, but it quickly turns into something more complex. This film, though heartbreaking, is also comforting to see when grief is also something viewers are dealing with. It’s a moment to reflect and a moment to show compassion for every member of a family that has lost someone close to them. Losing the matriarch of a family can make or break the dynamics sometimes, and Dua Ji shows how quickly and easily things can take shape when grief is burdening us.