Lucky Lu

A stolen bike is just the first in a series of misfortunes that befall Lu as he delivers food across frosty New York City. Then he loses his job at an especially bad time, since a friend has stolen his deposit for a new apartment, and his wife and daughter are arriving from China the next day. It is the perspective of young Yaya that illuminates the many corners of Chinatown, a labyrinth of daily survival for the protagonist. Lloyd Lee Choi’s debut, premiering at Cannes, is not just a social manifesto against unstable employment and lack of government protections, but also a tribute to the community, a broad support network anchoring even those far from home. Lucky Lu continues themes from Choi’s first shorts featured at festivals in Cannes, Toronto, and Berlin. Chang Chen stars as the titular Lu; he is one of the most accomplished actors in Taiwanese cinema, known for roles in Edward Yang’s A Brighter Summer Day and Wong Kar-Wai’s Happy Together and 2046.