The Moment of Departure

物語

The Moment of Departure is a profound exploration of the meaning of life and human emotions, focusing on the pivotal moments when a person faces the end of their life. The film delves into themes of life and death, regret, forgiveness, and liberation as the protagonist reflects on their past and makes one final, life-defining decision. Through the intertwining of memories and reality, it portrays the complexity of the inner world when facing the ultimate choice.

The protagonist, Li Ming, is a 60-year-old man diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the film’s outset, Li Ming is confronted with the reality that he has only a few months left to live. In the limited time remaining, he returns to his childhood town, beginning his journey of farewell to the life he has known. He sets out to confront the painful memories of his past, heal the wounds with lost loved ones, and reconcile with unfulfilled dreams that have haunted him for years.

Upon his return, Li Ming reconnects with familiar faces—his elderly mother, the gravestone of his late father, and old friends who have witnessed his life journey. As he revisits these connections and memories, his inner world begins to stir. He looks back on his life: his youthful love, his career, his ever-demanding family life, and the deep regrets over dreams left unachieved. The film masterfully weaves together his recollections and the present, showcasing his process of reassessing past choices, contemplating missed opportunities, and unresolved emotions.

Li Ming’s journey is not only a retrospective of his life but also an internal struggle against the fear of death. He often feels isolated and terrified, haunted by unfulfilled desires and unresolved tensions with his family. As time passes, however, he begins to realize that death is not an end, but a new beginning. Forgiving his family, forgiving himself, and accepting his imperfect life become his most important tasks in his final days. Through this, he learns to release grudges, abandon his obsession with unattained dreams, and ultimately finds peace in his heart.

The film reaches its emotional climax when Li Ming returns to the seaside, a place he had once shared with his late wife. There, in a dreamlike encounter with her spirit, he finally comes to terms with the regrets of his past, finding solace and release. In the film’s final moments, Li Ming peacefully closes his eyes, ready to face death, but with a heart that has reconciled with the past.

The Moment of Departure is a deeply philosophical and healing film. With its calm and introspective tone, it reveals the profound emotions and thoughts humans face when confronting the end of life. The film explores themes of pain, regret, and redemption, and ultimately delivers a message that the value of life is not determined by its length, but by how we make peace with others, with ourselves, and find tranquility and true freedom within.