Guián

Filmmaker Nicole Chi Amén comes from the Chinese community in Costa Rica. She speaks Spanish while her grandmother, Guián, spoke the Cantonese dialect of her birth. Despite having lived in the same town, they were never able to communicate in words. But her grandmother's presence, as well as her mysterious language and culture, were a foundational part of her entire childhood. After Guián's death, the filmmaker embarks on a quest to reconnect with her roots, sharing her experience of the stereotypes and racism she encounters. She creates sensory images by observing Guián's traces and memories, from papaya trees to patterned blouses and her childhood home. By immersing herself in these elements, she seeks to understand the essence of a “lost” country. From Costa Rica to China, poised between languages and traditions, Nicole Chi Amén takes a tender look at her own people, the Chinese community in both Costa Rica and her grandmother's native village. The result is a sublime cinematic diary addressed to Guián.

Alice Riva