A young Hong Kong businesswoman, fed up with the daily harassment of urban life, seeks refuge in a visit to her native village in Guangdon Province. There she connects with two old friends who are now married with a young child, and in fact have been named “Model Family.” But the presence of the city sophisticate in their simple home stirs up tensions between the couple, and their once tranquil friendship with her seems strained to the breaking point, reinforcing the loss of innocence that seems to be her lot in life. Set against the pulse of life in a Chinese village (shot on location), this is a film of small moments and attitudes lyrically portrayed, and its characterizations are deeply felt; so while it reveals a huge cultural gap, Homecoming is also about the subtle ways in which one can, in fact, go home again--and learn a great deal. Marking young Cantonese director Yim Ho's return to the cinema after four years' absence, Homecoming is being hailed by the local critics as a kind of “coming home” for the Hong Kong cinema itself. From an overabundance of commercial and exploitation fare emerges this film in which the nuances and contradictions of the Chinese experience are not only recognizable, but are the stuff of art. (Selected for the Museum of Modern Art's New Directors/New Films '85.)