Christopher Yip writes and directs Streams Flow from a River, telling the story of a Chinese Canadian family who reluctantly get back together after their father falls ill. But their personal traumas run deep, driving a wedge between them all. Diana and Gordon (Jane Luck and Gordon Chow) are struggling to hold their marriage together. Loretta (Danielle Ayow) suffers from the sting of abuse and Henry (Liam Ma) feels ashamed of his sexuality. But, when a freak snowstorm prevents them from leaving, they are forced to face the pain of the past that destroyed their family.
Set in rural Alberta, Streams Flow is often raw and honest in its exploration of family dynamics. Each episode focuses on a different member of the family. Yip allows himself the freedom to delve into each character’s brokenness. Streams Flow grapples with issues like immigrant experience or the long-lasting pain of abuse. It recognizes that pain begets pain at a generational level. These moments become markers on the lives of its characters that help define them while, at the same time, eating away at their relationships with one another. Bathing the screen with bleak and pale colours, this shows a world where pain drains the characters’ joy. There are moments where life sparks. But they are fleeting as everyone attempts to deal with their drama (mostly) on their own.
Although they keep their hurts to themselves, they can only be dealt with when they open their souls to one another. Yip allows each individual story to highlight their personal trauma but also reveals their need for community. These ‘streams’ of damage may come from the same ‘river’ but they can only repair the damage when they flow back together. But changing the tide is never an easy task.
- Release Date: 3/28/2023
