Emptiness - The Chicago Reel Film Club: Ecuador

Chinese migrants Lei and Wong clandestinely arrive in Ecuador. Lei plans to travel all the way to New York; Wong wants to settle in Latin America and bring his son to live with him. Uncertain of their future, they rely on other Chinese migrants to navigate this new land and culture, a local mobster, is one of those migrants; his intentions towards Lei are less than noble, and as far as Wong is concerned, he is nothing more than a fly entangled in Chang’s corrupt web. Ecuador’s official entry to the Academy Award for Chinese migrants Lei and Wong clandestinely arrive in Ecuador. Lei plans to travel all the way to New York; Wong wants to settle in Latin America and bring his son to live with him. Uncertain of their future, they rely on other Chinese migrants to navigate this new land and culture. Chang, a local mobster, is one of those migrants; his intentions towards Lei are less than noble, and as far as Wong is concerned, he is nothing more than a fly entangled in Chang’s corrupt web. Ecuador’s official entry to the Academy Award for Best International Feature in 2021, Venegas’ feature debut offers a unique take on the immigrant experience.