UNIT 10
Treatment
'Two Worlds Apart' is a feature film focused on the connection between two young children separated at birth. Living polar opposite lives on the opposite ends of the earth, they find themselves yearning for the other. Following their journey to find each other and relieve the partition between them, we experience life through their eyes hopeful for a reunited ending. With the narrative structure similar to that of Tom Ford's 'Nocturnal Animals' (2016), two stories simultaneously being told, and the grunge atmosphere of David Fincher's 'Fight Club' (1999) we are transported to mysterious world where these two elements collide.
BBFC Classification: 12/12A - There is no promotion of dangerous behaviour, weapons or bad language. No nudity, sex or drugs. Threat and horror is kept to a minimum, possible slight injury, however justified by context.
Narrative
Exposition
Introducing our main interest and character, we start with a fast paced introduction into the characters capabilities and her habitation in the daunting night setting of New York city. Being only 12 years old, the girl wearing worn down clothes and broken shoes cleverly manoeuvres her way out of a seemingly impossible situation after looting. Living on her own since her adoptive mother had been institutionalised, stealing is her only choice of survival, thus becomes a regular event in her life to overcome.
Maya visits a convenience store owner regularly, who is happy to help with food and supplies without getting to involved in her life, being just a friendly soul.
Since spontaneously moving to New York her sense of direction has been impaired unfamiliar with her surroundings, and apart from the one friend made, nobody notices her existence as she manipulates her way through a crowd. As she comes home to but a wreckage of miscellaneous items stacked together in an abandoned gymnasium, she carefully sets a small pebble on her bed.
Development
Transferred into our second character by the ring of an alarm and sunlight streaming in through a residential home in China, we are introduced to a 12 year old boy, similar in appearance to the girl. Walking through the clean and tidy house, he is left with breakfast made for him on the counter. Having a distant father committed only to his job since their mother died giving birth, he is urged to attend a business trip to New York City. As his grandmother is elderly and becoming ill, the father has no choice but to bring her and his son along. With the intention of searching for his twin sister knowing she's in New York, he is unaware of the obstacles lying ahead.
Complication
Landing in the city the next morning, his grandmother is needed to be hospitalised because of her heart. That night, he is torn between staying and wanting to find his sister knowing this would be his only chance.
Listening to the driving force to reconnect, he promises himself he will find his sister and be back that night. Yun regrettably leaves that evening while his Grandmothers asleep. Being only 12 years old in the vast city of New York, finding a singular person is almost impossible.
As a last hope before the night becomes too cold, Yun gravitates toward the train station nearby to warm up in a shelter.
Maya grabs her torn jacket and retrieves the pebble from her bed. In the cold of the night, she is drawn toward the train station to forage and steal from unattended luggage.
Being rush hour, she has plenty to choose from systematically gathering as much as possible. As she leaves, Yun notices a dark haired child much like himself and clambers through the crowds of people as a small item drops from her pocket. Eager to get her attention, Yun clutches on to it as she stops at a road. Approaching her slowly, Maya gradually looks toward him as he opens his hand with the pebble sitting inside. Almost instantly, she is overcome with emotion unsure why but knowing in her heart she has been waiting for him. Yun explains himself and their relationship giving her clarity.
Climax
Aware of the time, Yun rushes back to the hospital with Maya hoping his grandmother is still awake. She slowly opens her eyes, and is brought to tears at the sight of her granddaughter who she thought she would never see. Proud of her grandson, she shows them a picture of Maya as a baby telling a story of their mother and despite not ever meeting them, loves them with all her heart and is happy in heaven now they've reunited. The both of them stay with her the night, sleeping with her snuggled together on the bed. Waking in the morning, they are both unsure where to go from here as they need to stay together.
Resolution
As the grandmother passes that afternoon the father is notified, unexpectedly overcome with sadness and finally able to let go of his own emotions he's been holding since their mother died. Realising his selfishness and love he has for his son, he sees Maya as a shining light, nostalgic and tender toward her. Able to feel responsible for his actions toward his son, he is determined to be a better father and embraces Maya back into their life. As a collective family, they decide to move to New York in order to safely stay together.
Characters
Maya
Originally born in China separated from her twin at birth, she was adopted to America as a baby. When living with her young adoptive parents in Pennsylvania, she was found fatherless at 5 when he deserted them. Left with a mother suffering from mental illness, by only 8 years old Maya took on all the adult responsibilities and the role of carer for her mother. Wanting a fresh start and not thinking logically, they moved to New York spontaneously uprooting there old life. Her mother was institutionalised after an incident and now Maya is left on her own fending for herself striving to fill a void.
Since age 3 she has bee mystically drawn to a small pebble carrying it with her everywhere ignorant of the need to connect with something in particular and unconsciously using this item as a supplement.
Yun
The twin of Maya, he has been living with his father and grandmother in China. Coming from a wealthy family, he has been taught English. The only love he's ever known is from his grandmother who cared and raised him after his mother died giving birth to his twin sister. He has been close to his grandmother since a baby being told of his twins existence secretly as his father doesn't want him knowing. A positive and caring child, he believes one day he will find his sister and reunite.
Grandmother
Warm and loving to Yun, she has always believed in fate knowing one day the two children will find each other. Being elderly, her health is decreasing and won't be with them much longer. Since her daughter died, she believes it is her destiny to reunite her grandchildren.
Father
After everything that has happened to him, he was left cold and unloving only caring about his work paying no attention to his child. He has not wanted to tell Yun about his sister as he believes he is the cause of the mothers death.