Almost Heaven follows 17-year-old Ying Ling, who is training to become a mortician in one of China's largest funeral homes. Far from home and terrified of ghosts, she learns to perform spa and beauty treatments for the dead, speaking to them softly as she is watched closely by family members. Learning to navigate the long, lifeless corridors of the crematorium, she forms a close and unexpected friendship with her colleague Jin Hau. Their playful camaraderie makes work bearable, but when Jin Hau suddenly leaves the funeral home, Ying Ling is left to face the harsh realities of the job alone. A tender and life-affirming portrait of a vibrant young woman approaching adulthood.
Awards
Winner of Best Documentary, British Independent Film Awards 2017
Winner of Best Documentary Feature, Aesthetica Short Film Festival 2018
Double nominee at Berlin International Film Festival 2017
Reviews
"the juxtaposition of vibrant youth and mundane death strikes a chord, touching upon something which borders on the metaphysical, sneaking up upon profundity and finding solace and insight in the most unexpected places" – Mark Kermode
"A poignant study of life and death" The Sunday Times
"Carol Salter strikes gold with her characters." Little White Lies
"an insightful pleasure" Sight & Sound Magazine, October 2017
"Very unique…very poignant and intimate" – British Independent Film Awards
"Almost Heaven draws a vibrant, human story out of seemingly average lives that fit with neither the glamour nor the grime of most screen portraits."
"Carol Salter teases a bubbly and engaging personality out of a seemingly ordinary and mild-mannered adolescent; the filmmaker-cinematographer is ever-ready … to capture the young woman's emotional ebbs and flows." hollywoodreporter.com
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