Nguyen has created a short film that is not just about culture-specific ways of dealing with grief. It is possible that people and families have problems dealing with grief together across cultures. A very accessible subject, with gravity and ease. Like the family in the film, the viewer learns that grief can be experienced together. You learn that the different points of reference of grief share common aspects, especially in a family. The loss of loved ones unites, only the approaches of memory, the cornerstones of grief, are different. The individual stories make it clear that grief arises from love, security and laughter. Nguyen underlines this warm melancholy with a fantastic atmosphere, wonderful, minimalist musical interludes and a quiet camera. She lets people talk, asks follow up questions only once and uses the simple-seeming trick of direct confrontation with the filmed material to trigger a feeling of mutuality in the family with regard to the grief they talked about. The wonderful conclusion of the film is that it is okay to cry at the dinner table and it's ok to do it together. No, not only is it okay, it is life enriching and a tool for stronging bonds.
