The Age of Goodbyes - breaking family curses

 THE AGE OF GOODBYES 

Director

Edmund Yeo

Cast

Vivian Sung

Stanley Yau

Troy Liu

Lixuan Siow

WORLD PREMIERE at TIFF 2026 - Toronto International Film Festival

Taiwan, Malaysia | 2026 | 142m | Mandarin, Cantonese, Malay, Thai, English

Vivian Sung shines as the enigmatic Du Li An in Edmund Yeo’s adaptation of Li Zi Shu’s award‑winning novel The Age of Goodbyes—a film that explores how family stories bend, blur, and reshape themselves over time. Memories fade, details shift, and what we call “truth” becomes something inherited rather than remembered.

The narrative is challenging, weaving between timelines and perspectives. We follow Kai (Troy Liu), a young boy who discovers a novel titled The Age of Goodbyes. It begins on page 513—a symbolic nod to May 13, 1969, one of the most pivotal and painful dates in Malaysian history. As Kai reads, he becomes absorbed in Du Li An’s world, slipping between fiction, memory, and the echoes of a nation’s past.

In 1969 Ipoh, Du Li An falls in love with Lin Sang (Stanley Yau), a man convinced he cannot be with her because of a family curse: the men disappear before turning thirty. When Lin Sang is forced to leave, Du Li An must rebuild her life. Years later, Mong Sang (also played by Yau) appears—Lin Sang’s twin brother—and she is pulled back into a love she never fully let go of. As Kai continues reading, he becomes entangled in the novel’s shifting histories, discovering how stories passed down through generations can transform like broken telephone.

The film is dense, layered, and rich with cultural and historical references. For viewers unfamiliar with Malaysian history—like me, a Canadian watching this with fresh eyes—the timeline jumps can feel disorienting. Honestly, this is a film you may want to watch twice to fully appreciate the connections and the emotional architecture beneath its structure.

But once you settle into its rhythm, The Age of Goodbyes reveals itself as a beautifully crafted story on memory, duty, family lineage, and the ache of a great love that never dies. The production design is lush and transportive; you feel immersed in each era. The casting is impeccable, especially Vivian Sung’s grounded, luminous performance.

This is the kind of international film that deserves attention in North America—subtitles or not. Every so often, a film like this finds the right champions and gains momentum during awards season. I truly hope this becomes one of those discoveries.

Even without prior knowledge of Malaysian culture or history, I found The Age of Goodbyes deeply moving, visually stunning, and worth revisiting. It’s a complex, rewarding experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

https://www.tiff.net/films/the-age-of-goodbyes

SCREENINGS

Friday, September 18

Scotiabank Theatre / 5:15 pm / Public Screening

and

Saturday, September 19

Scotiabank Theatre / 3:45 pm / Public Screening

Theatrical or Streaming release date unknown at this time.