Malaysian director Woo Ming Jin tells the intimate story of a set of fraternal twins whose relationship cracks with the appearance of their beautiful new teacher, played enchantingly by Indonesian superstar Dian Sastrowardoyo.
The fox king is one of the most prized varieties of durian. Beyond its thorny shell and pungent aroma is a sweet flesh, rewarding only those brave enough to build an acquired taste. Such is the life of fraternal twins Ali and Amir, who must go through jagged paths and the growing pains of adolescence before reaching the core of what is truly meaningful.
Having lost their mother at birth, the pair are left to depend on each other after their father leaves them for a new, younger wife. This proves to be especially burdensome for Ali, who looks after his brother. Amir’s vocabulary is limited to a few words, and his difference makes the two of them prone to bullying. But Ali never doubts this brother’s brilliance. One day, the twins come across a mesmerising woman, their new English teacher, Ms. Lara (Dian Sastrowardoyo), dancing on the beach. Her arrival ushers in changes to their seemingly unbreakable relationship.
Through Ali and Amir’s story, The Fox King studies the imperfections of human nature. Misconceptions of first impressions are overturned time and again to teach us that one should never judge a book by its cover. At the same time, Woo Ming Jin, who is a twin himself, gives us a glimpse — bittersweet, soft, implicit — into the invisible and complicated bond that twins share.
JUNE KIM
Screenings
Scotiabank 6
Scotiabank 10
Scotiabank 8