ABSENCE (Melbourne IFF 2023) – Review by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
In Absence, Lee Kang-sheng stars as Han Jiangyu, recently released from prison who has spent a decade behind bars for taking the hit for his best friend, a shady property baron called Kai. He returns home to Hainan, a tropical island in southern China renowned for its luxury hotels, but for Jiangyu and his ex-girlfriend Su Hong (Meng Li) life is an altogether more piecemeal affair. A hairdresser by trade and struggling to bring up her young child alone, Hong puts her hopes, dreams and life savings into a new apartment in Kai’s latest development. When the deal falls through, Jiangyu steps up and with Hong finds another way to make their dream family home a reality.
Read more