In Abrielle Kung En Kuo’s short film, Ura, societal pressures make finding love just out of reach. It’s the morning after and two lovers, Bev (Jingru Li) and Prince (Channing Jackson) look lovingly at one another. Bev attempts to tell an Asian joke, but the punch line falls a bit short in translation.
Life is complicated for both of them. Bev works at a Chinese massage establishment. A client tells her she has potential, but Bev just brushes it off. On the other hand, Prince is moving up in his company, but he’s in a relationship that’s going nowhere.
Can our two lovers shed off the burdens they carry? Or are they doomed as ships passing in the night?
“…falling in love…in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Ura is a short and sweet tale about falling in love. You’ll connect with the story of that moment of finding the “one” and realizing that you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet, you struggle anyway to make it work. Will fate be on your side?
The beauty of Ura is seen in Jingru Li’s performance as Bev. You feel every emotion of her character, from being dismissed at work to trying to get over the precipice of love to get what you want. Abrielle Kung En Kuo’s direction uses film to play with us and our emotions, specifically with her use of the close-up shot on our protagonists. She’s mastered the art of Show…Don’t Tell.
Ura lingers like a bittersweet memory of love just beyond reach. With Abrielle Kung En Kuo’s delicate direction and Jingru Li’s beautifully restrained performance, this short proves that sometimes the most powerful stories are told in whispers, not shouts. It’s a quiet reminder that love, even when fleeting, leaves a lasting mark.
"…Will fate be on your side?"
