A young couple faces a geographical separation as one of them is set to go study abroad, so they decide to go revisit where they first met.
Written by Lisa Ranran Hu and Weiting Tian, and directed by Lisa Ranran Hu, this drama short film shows the power of simplicity. A simple story of two people in love, facing a separation that is “for their own good” in that one of them is going to school and should come back once graduated, which works well. There is an undercurrent of sadness to it all; they are happy yet sad, trying to make for a good last day together before the sadness fully takes over. The story here is incredibly human and quietly emotionally powerful. The writing is careful, emotional, and calculated in the best of ways. The direction is also careful, almost absent in feeling while it is clear that the film is being directed by someone close to the material who knows what they are doing (or winging it beautifully well). The film may just be a short film, but it packs so much in its short runtime.
The cast here is near the absolute minimum with only two people, Michelle Jones Lee as Jinna and Arnold Setiadi as Alex. The two of them give strong performances, so good the viewer can forget they are watching a movie. They both come at these parts naturally with nuance and emotions without ever over doing it. They bring the story to life, making the little bit of time the viewer gets to spend with them meaningfully, connecting on more than a superficial level. The two of them are excellent, no hyperbole here.
Cinematographer Rocky Huang does great work filming these two going through their emotional ride, giving them space when needed and closing in when the story and the emotions call for it. The cinematography here is purposeful and artsy; it is there to witness while not getting involved, but it’s also there to make the image has impact and become more than the sum of their elements. These images are carefully and masterfully edited by writer-director-editor Lisa Ranran Hu, showing that a closeness to the subject, when in the right hands, can be the perfect way to edit a film.
Heading to the East is a lovely short film about love, loss, and grieving in advance for something that has become inevitable. The film is touching and emotional while keeping things mostly quiet and nuanced. It’s not in your face and its quietness is a big reason why it works so well.