Film Analysis: Saving Face

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Saving Face is a comic movie that exposes a same-sex relationship between two girls of the Chinese-American origin (Wu). Given the Chinese social position regarding sexuality, Wil is forced to hide her sexual orientation from her family members to avoid retribution. Even though her family lives in America, it would be obvious that they would conform to the cultural aspects of the society in which they live, but they are still afraid of the image their family would create to the outside world. However, Wil breaks this hiding by engaging in an intimate relationship with Vivian. Chan contends that although interracial relationships present a mixed set of cultural relationship (178), lesbianism is also an area of great concern. While the movie displays some cultural barriers to self-expression, it is significant in showing sustained efforts to promote sexuality. In the traditional Chinese society, same-sex marriage was an acceptable practice (Yue 146). Although this habit changed later during their interaction with the West, it has become part of their culturally acceptable norms. Even though Saving Face is a modern movie that involves a contemporary family living in one of the developed countries that support different forms of sexual relationships, it depicts a household …show more content…

In most parts of the movie, the old parents act as agents of destruction to the expression of sexual identity. Even though Wil's grandmother commends her for wearing casual young boyish outfits and men's shoes, which she also did when she was young (Clark), she is not comfortable with Wil's relationship decision. Such a stand is a failure to recognize the relevance of cultural practices and a threat to sexuality for the Chinese-Americans. As such, the parents represent a generation that is living in denial of the fact that the contemporary world allows all people to choose their

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