An Irish funeral has a wake. A Jewish funeral has sitting shiva. A traditional Chinese funeral is something else entirely. That's what the estranged siblings of the Chinese-American Xiao family must undergo upon news of their mother's death. The one brother and three sisters don't get along, however, they share one thing: hatred for their domineering and manipulative mother, "The Dragon Lady."
Acting
Bai Ling devours scenery as the chaotic sister DeeDee.
Production
The funeral feast production design is genuinely mouthwatering.
Director
Anna Chi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Talia Shire, Oscar-nominated for The Godfather, plays the Jewish neighbor Viola—a casting choice that sparked debate about authenticity in ethnic ensemble films of the 2000s.
The title refers to the Chinese tradition of funeral feasts where mourners eat dim sum while paying respects—here weaponized as social theater where the siblings perform grief they don't feel.
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