- Release year: 2024
- Director: Ray Yeung.
- Producers: Teresa Kwong, Chowee Leow, Michael J. Werner and Sandy Yip.
- Screenplay by: Ray Yeung.
- Cinematography by: Ming-Kai Leung.
- Music by: Veronica Lee.
Synopsis: a woman’s partner dies and due to outdated politics now her future is in her family-in-law’s hands.
Shotgun Commentary: if you feel like raging against the machine for a bit, this film is all the fuel you need.
Review
All Shall Be Well tells the story of Angie (Patra Au) after Pat’s (Lin-Lin Li) passing. Angie and Pat have been together for over four decades but, being of the same gender, they are not allowed to be married or in a civil union in their country, China. This outdated policy brings Angie a world of trouble when Pat dies without leaving a will.
Prejudice and taboos
After over four decades of being together, Pat’s family still doesn’t quite consider Angie Pat’s wife, shielding their dated prejudice in the law’s mandate. As such, they grow increasingly colder towards Angie from the moment Pat dies, knowing fully well they won’t let her keep her house or shared money, as the law is legally giving everything to the head of the family: Pat’s brother.
It is incredibly common for families to grow apart after a relative’s death. Sadly, money comes first in many cases, especially when there are children and people depending on the person involved in the will. Much like during an emergency, the best and the worst in people comes out, leaving no space for appearances or masks.
This is the reason why it is so important to be practical and rational when in a long-term relationship with a partner, especially one with shared assets. One not only has to think about what happens if you split up, but also about what happens when one of you is gone. There is such a strong taboo around death that people do anything and everything to the conversation about the inevitable. Leaving messes like the one exposed in this feature, even when the solutions were easy and obvious.
Enslaving laws
In addition to fearing what they know will eventually come, whether they want it or not, this particular couple faces extra problems just because of who they chose to love. The ridiculousness of treating people different because of who they choose to love is as bewildering as all other types of prejudice, only in this particular case the stupidity is institutionalised. Much like US with their anti-abortion laws, the fact that a random politician has the power to decide which people can or can’t be together would be risible if it weren’t such an outrage.
All Shall Be Well shines a light on the human consequences of such inhuman policies. Forcing people off their homes shouldn’t be a possibility, much less when the property is as much yours as it was your partners. What these policies allow is essentially to legally kick queer people out of their houses and make them dependent on the “magnanimity” of strangers that should have no say in the matter.
Steady and calculated
The film showcases this issue in the most calm, peaceful manner possible, but leaving no stone unturned. Each character’s development is absolutely wonderful and worth a slow study. The cast reflect perfectly their character’s mindsets and intentions beneath the fake front they put. A superb acting that is accompanied by some first-class writing, where the dialogues mean more than they say and each word carefully chosen for a specific purpose.
Overall, All Shall Be Well delivers an engrossing story that draws special attention to a very relevant issue for millions of people. A problem that is not being addressed with the gravity that it should. The film is beautiful from every perspective. The cinematography is simple and clean, aiding in the proper delivery of a crucial message, the soundtrack accompanies the story without overpowering it, and the writing and acting are simply magnificent. This is a movie that one can recommend without reserves. It is as compelling as it is necessary.
All Shall Be Well will be screened at London Film Festival the 10th and 11th of October.
Advice to take from this movie:
- ALWAYS make a will when you want to leave specific possessions to specific people.
- Politicians should NEVER have the power to decide on personal life choices.
- Always make sure you are able to sleep with the decisions you make.
What’s your take? Have you watched All Shall Be Well? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀