Yesterday, I watched the third and last of what has turned out to be a North Asian trilogy of films about a grandson sent to the countryside to live with his grandpa or grandma.

I first watched Pushing Hands (1992) at a Singapore Film Festival many years ago before director LEE Ang became so very famous. The Taiwanese veteran actor, who played the role of the grandfather, passed away a couple of years ago and was honoured posthumously too.

Then some 10 years later came the 2002 Korean movie, The Way Home, which was one　 of my first few Korean movies. This time round, the city brat of a grandson was packed off to the countryside to live with his grandma. The old lady, who acted the role of the grandma, was so popular that hordes of fans and tourists descended upon her home and apparently she was forced to move out of the house that was home to her for decades !

 


Then last night, I watched the 2006 Japanese version, Gabai Granny. Japanese actress 吉行和子, who played the role of the grandma, attended the dialogue session following the screening of the movie as part of 2007 Japanese Film Festival in Singapore.

I enjoyed all three versions and interestingly, onl　y grandsons are sent off to the countryside to live with grandpa or grandma, and not grand daughters !