Aishe, a Uyghur woman trained by her military father, migrates to New York City where she finds herself laboring in Chinatown’s underground kitchens. She fatefully encounters Skinner, a young American soldier who has just returned from three tours in the Middle East. While falling in love, they discover the possibility of a better life together than the ones they believed they were destined to live alone.
Acting
Behtiyar's silence speaks louder than dialogue ever could.
Direction
Liu finds poetry in Flushing alleyways and PTSD flashbacks.
Cinematography
Handheld intimacy that never feels voyeuristic.
Director
Bing Liu
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bing Liu spent two years documenting undocumented Chinese restaurant workers for his 2017 documentary before adapting this novel.
The Uyghur-American experience remains almost invisible in cinema; this casting required casting directors to build relationships with diaspora communities from scratch.
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