WINNER
Asian Future Best Film Award Tokyo Intl Film Fest
WINNER
Crystal Bear—Generation Kplus Berlin Intl Film Fest
"Intimate and affecting... this Uighur-language coming-of-age story is restrained in scale yet rousing in emotional impact"
—Screen International
"An outstanding debut feature... an emotionally rewarding glimpse into challenges faced by this Muslim minority"
—Variety
"Bolstered by lush imagery and, perhaps more importantly, immensely naturalistic performances from its non-professional child actors, the film conjures up a quietly heartbreaking drama"
—Hollywood Reporter
"A gorgeously shot window into a world most of us hadn't looked through before"
—Los Angeles Times
"Every element clicks brilliantly because Wang [Lina] combines character, setting, and cinematography to create a breathtaking whole... If A First Farewell is Wang's debut, it boggles the mind what her future films hold in store for us"
—Film Threat
While our theater is closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still watch newly released independent and international films at FACETS.
By purchasing a "ticket" to one of our Virtual Cinema screenings, you help support FACETS mission and filmmakers from around the world who do so much to enrich our shared film culture.
The plight of China's Muslim Uyghur minority, and of families everywhere, is explored in this affecting, beautifully photographed tale of three Uyghur elementary school children in a rural farming community who are forced to adapt to China's Mandarin-language educational system. Wang Lina's remarkable debut feature is an ode to her home province as well as an urgent look at the policy of cultural assimilation. The non-professional actors are superb in this bittersweet narrative-documentary hybrid which speaks volumes about this marginalized community in this slice-of-life approach to storytelling.
Directed by Wang Lina, China, 2018, 88 mins. In Uighur and Mandarin with English subtitles.
Pick a film to watch featured on our Virtual Cinema schedule
Click the Watch Now button on the screening page for the film you choose
Fill out the information requested by the third-party that you'll be redirected to, which will usually include registering a name/email and using a credit card to rent the film
Enjoy the film knowing your supporting FACETS and independent filmmakers across the world
What is FACETS Virtual Cinema?
While our theater is closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, you can still watch newly released independent and international films at FACETS. The Virtual Cinema offers these films through third-party websites with 50% of the proceeds go to FACETS.
By purchasing a "ticket" to one of our Virtual Cinema screenings, you help support FACETS' mission and filmmakers from around the world who do so much to enrich our shared film culture.
How long will my rental last?
This depends on the third-party site. On average you'll have 2–4 days after your purchase to watch the film. But to be safe, you should check the length for each rental you purchase through our Virtual Cinema.
Do FACETS Members get a 50% discount for the virtual cinema?
Unfortunately, discounts are on a case-by-case basis, depending on the distributor, and we can't guarantee that FACETS Members will get a discount on every rental.
What does it mean when I get redirected to another website?
The films offered at our Virtual Cinema are hosted by a third-party service. Which means you'll be redirected to another site to watch the film. Even though you're watching on a different site, 50% of the proceeds go to support FACETS.
Can I stream a film on my TV?
There are multiple ways to stream our Virtual Cinema screenings to your TV. The easiest way is to connect your computer to your TV with an HDMI cable—click here for step-by-step instructions.
You can also stream films using a smart TV (Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku), but the specific approach will depend on the third-party site. For more information, please refer to the customer service information provided by the third party.
I'm having issues with the third-party website, what should I do?
If you're having problems with the third-party streaming website, we recommend you reach out their customer support team directly to answer your question. If you've done this and are still facing an issue, feel free to reach out to us at help@facets.org.
Additional Questions?
If this page hasn't answered a question you have, feel free to contact us at help@facets.org and we'll do our best to provide you with an answer.
