If Shen Dai had remained in China, there is no way an Isabelle Huppert-like film star ever would have been part of her social circle. In this case, it is probably safe to say “Isabelle” is based on Huppert, since she is played by the screen legend herself. That bit of casting was quite a coup for Hu Wei’s latest short film, but it never overshadows the complicated emotions at the center of “What Tears Us Apart,” which screens as part of Shorts Program 1 during the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.
There are indeed social-political implications to Shen Dai’s story that viewers might guess (especially if they are cognizant of the China Communist Party’s strict family planning policies), but they still ought to let Hu reveal everything in his own due time.
Initially, we are not sure why an older Chinese couple is visiting Isabelle and her gracious slightly older husband Benoît—nor perhaps are they.
