Yi Yi (A One And A Two)- English subtitled
This undisputed masterpiece by Edward Yang is an ensemble film about a year in the life of a middle-class Taiwanese family. At the heart of the story are the fortunes of N.J. Jian, the owner of a struggling IT company.
His life threatens to fall apart completely. His mother-in-law falls into a coma, his wife joins a cult, and his son struggles at school. A chance encounter with the first great love of his life forces Jian to take stock of everything.
A remarkable supporting role is reserved for Jian’s eight-year-old son, Yang-Yang. He takes photos of the backs of people’s heads because he finds it frustrating that they cannot see their own. It’s a perfect metaphor for Yang’s vision of the artist’s role in society: to hold up a mirror and reveal what we cannot or do not want to see. At Cannes, Yi Yi was awarded the prize for Best Director.