Premiering today at the Newport Beach Film Festival, In a New York Minutegives a glimpse into the lives of three strangers who inadvertently discover that their problems may be solved by a single pregnancy test. Amy is haunted by a past breakup that has manifested into an eating disorder. Angel is torn between an unhappy marriage to an American businessman and a passionate affair with a Chinese writer. Meanwhile, Nina works as an escort in order to support herself.
Developed by Ximan Li, Minutewould be a challenging piece to successfully complete for a first-time writer/director given its fractured narrative. Thankfully, however, Li interweaves its story that interweaves its characters in compelling ways without sacrificing the complexity of their own situations. Despite the film’s connective tissue regarding the mysterious pregnancy test, Li wisely allows his characters to breathe and grow until its necessary to reveal the truth at the proper moment. Leads Celia Au, Amy Chang, and Yi Liu each create fascinating characters that succeed individually on their own while, at the same time, recognizing that their stories are pieces of a larger collective.
In fact, it’s this very notion of the collective whole that Minuteis based upon. While each woman exists in their own narrative world, they all impact one another’s stories, be it intentionally or not. (Without spoiling anything, none of the women even meet until the final 15 minutes.) In doing so, Li demonstrates the connective nature of our lives, even with those we don’t know. Through the use of a single pregnancy test, Li reminds us that the decisions we make are not isolated and can have a ripple effect that changes and directs the lives of others unwittingly.
Similarly, Li also points to the truth that, despite the fact that our stories differ, one of the key aspects of our common experience is our need for love and intimacy. In each story, Amy, Angel and Nina are driven or changed by their desire to love and be loved. Though none of these women define themselves based on the men in their lives, they are all experiencing varying levels of brokenness and looking for newness. However, while all of their stories differ wildly in their professions, family situations and needs, all are on a journey to find transformative, unconditional love that sees them for who they are and recognizes their value.
In a New York Minutemay not compete in a wide release with superheroes and magic filling the multiplexes, but that is not to take away its quality. Each woman brings a spark to their characters that breathes life into their stories and relationships. Most importantly though, Xi has crafted a well-told narrative that points to the connectedness of our stories as well as our common need for love.
In A New York Minutepremieres on April 28th, 2019 at Newport Beach Film Festival
To hear full audio of our interview with Celia Au, click here.
Leave a Reply