The Absent Guest

Passion Project
Directed, Shot, Edited by
Thomas Au

Poster by
Valerie Gan

Year
2022

Nominations
Tokyo Lift-Off Film Festival
UNIMAS Mini Film Festival
Rohip Film Festival
British Cultural Film Festival & Market
ASIAN Feedback Film Festival

For more than 30 years, Kuan Siew Lian has been connecting with friends and relatives through her traditional cuisine. After her sudden passing, her daughters take up the responsibility of cooking the traditional cuisine, rediscovering the meaning behind her food and what makes it unique.

This is a personal project that deeply connects with me and my family. The late Madam Kuan Siew Lian is my aunt, who has never failed to bring us delicious food whenever we see her at gatherings. After her passing due to COVID-19, I decided to make a film about her and her food to pay tribute to our loving aunt.

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