Lilting tells the moving story of Richard (Ben Whishaw), a young man mourning the untimely death of his partner Kai (Andrew Leung). Heartbroken, he reaches out to Kai’s Cambodian-Chinese mother (Cheng Pei Pei) and we observe their difficulties in trying to connect with one another without a common language.
Through a translator they piece together memories of a man they both loved dearly and realise that whilst they might not share a language, they are connected in their grief.
A touching, intimate film about love, loss, communication and culture, Lilting features rousing performances from its leads Ben Whishaw and Cheng Pei Pei and has announced director Hong Khaou as a brave new voice in British cinema.