Set in the scenic Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region (photos), the story unfolds between a farm boy Isa and his friend Kalbinur. Isa's mother, deaf and mute from meningitis, depends on her son to look after her. Kalbinur, though a smart Uyghur girl at school, finds the Chinese language hard to master at the village school. That winter, Isa's father decides to send the boy's mother to a nursing home, and Kalbinur's family makes plans to leave the village. Isa reads a story called A First Farewell in school, and although he does not fully understand the idea of farewell, he will soon experience it himself.

The film, set in Uygur dialect, is a directorial debut for young female director Wang Lina, who is a native of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. It has already won her an Asian Future Best Film Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2018 and a Crystal Bear at the 2019 Berlinale.

Related: Domestic film 'A First Farewell' wins hearts, box office