The Golden Horse Awards is Taiwan’s equivalent of the Oscars here in the US. It is held annually, and due to the pandemic, was one of the few awards shows worldwide that were held in person this year. My mom watched clips of the awards show on Facebook, and there was one actress that stood out – Chen Shufang, a veteran Taiwanese actress who turned 81 this year, won the award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as Best Actress. What was even more astonishing was the fact that this was the first nomination the actress has received in her 60-year career. My mom sent me the clips of her winning immediately after.
The 57th Golden Horse Awards took place in November, during winter break. However, to my surprise, Netflix announced that Little Big Women, the movie that earned Chen Shufang her Best Leading Actress award, was going to be available on Netflix in February. I was delighted not only because I had already heard so much about it, but because there was going to be another Taiwanese movie available to a wide audience.
Little Big Women is centered around the matriarch of the Lin Shaying. During her 70th birthday party, she receives news that her ex-husband has passed away. Suddenly, she has the responsibility of planning his funeral. Shaying’s three daughters, then travel back to support their mother, reminiscing on the past, coming to terms with secrets, while balancing mourning for a father figure who was never quite the father figure. The movie travels between three generations of women, each grappling with their own set of problems. Although very slow-moving, it shows the importance of taking each day in stride.
Little Big Women is for the more mature audience, not because of the explicit scenes, but because of the themes that it delves into. There are moments of comedic fun, which adds the familiarity that audiences will feel with the film. In the end, Little Big Women, reminds us of the importance of spending time with family and honoring the past and the people that make us who we are.
