(2019, 8 minutes)
A young man accompanies his stoic Chinese grandfather-in-law to visit a loved one’s grave. When they begin to pay their respects, the young man soon realizes how little he knows about traditional rituals. Awkward and unsure, he struggles to bridge the cultural and emotional distance between them. Yet, in the quiet gestures of remembrance and grief, a silent bond begins to form. This film looks at the gaps within intergenerational knowledge and wonders how one might find connection.

Featuring excerpts from Wang Changling’s “Border Sorrow” and Su Dongpo’s “Recalling a Dream”, “Signal Fire” evokes the loneliness, longing, and fragile connections across generations and the quiet persistence of cultural identity. The film meditates on memory, loss, and the small acts that can light a way home.

Director: Alice Il Shin
Producers: Alice Il Shin, Eiko Kawabe Brown

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