actor in this film not based in America. She first worked with Wang in about 1991 for his The Joy Luck Club when she was 19 and spoke no English. Knowing that she had later studied in America for a few years, Wang gave her a call, decided that her English was fluent enough for the lead role and persuaded her to hold off her own directorial work in China for a 4-week commitment to his project. Reception The film received positive reviews from critics. Kim Voynar of Cinematical described the film as being "meticulously paced and beautifully shot", while Screen International writer Patrick Z. McGavin called it "not earth-shattering or particularly urgent, though it enables a talented filmmaker to work through personal ideas about assimilation and family conflict in an open, smart and gracious way." Todd McCarthy of Variety described the film as "Mainly concerned with generational and cultural issues, very modest entry possesses equally modest commercial potential." Awards and nominations It won the Golden Shell Award for Best Film and also Best Actor Award at the 55th San Sebastián International Film Festival. References External links 2007 films 2007 drama films Films about Chinese Americans Films based on short fiction Films directed by Wayne Wang Films scored by Lesley Barber 2000s Mandarin-language films Asian-American drama films Films about father–daughter relationships Films set in Washington (state) Chinese-language American films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films