GOD AND BUDDHA ARE FRIENDS | Omeleto

A young boy meets a pastor. Andy is a little boy who receives a jade dragon necklace from his mother, Judy, who is a Buddhist. The necklace is part of his cultural heritage, and he wears it happily. But when he spends the day with his auntie Hui-Ming, they go to the house of Hui-Ming's devout pastor, Richard, who is determined to win Andy over. Richard convinces Andy that his necklace is a totem from the devil, terrifying Andy and infuriating his mother. When his mother confronts the pastor, Andy is forced to navigate the debate between stubborn adults and figure out his own truth. Directed and written by Anthony Ma, this endearing, warmly observant short dramedy explores both a little boy's growing curiosity and understanding of religion and spiritual matters, as well as his unwitting introduction to the contentions and conflicts that it can bring out in stubborn, dogmatic grown-ups. Andy is a charming, innocent kid with a wide-eyed curiosity and an eagerness to please. That wonderful openness to new ideas and people brings out his desire to learn more about the world around him. But when a fiery pastor sees that openness as an opportunity to bring another lamb into his fold, his mother grows ferociously protective, and Andy feels caught in the middle. The storytelling centers on Andy, whose exploration drives the narrative. But there is attention paid to the character development of the grown-ups around him, especially their separate agendas and their perspectives. The pastor is eager to expand his reach; his mother wants to keep Andy connected to his heritage, which the pastor belittles. When one desire threatens the other, Andy becomes the ground they fight over, with the very state of his soul hanging in the balance. The film often plays the pastor's zealotry for quirky humor, and actor Jim Meskimen finds a fine balance between Richard's genuine faith and conviction and the lengths he will go to convert Andy. As his mother, actor Karina Anna Cheung can be funny in her stubbornness and her salty skepticism, but she's also protective, concerned not only that her child is being taken advantage of but that her influence and heritage are being erased, particularly when Richard takes away Andy's necklace. Young actor Ethan Wang is a natural screen presence, with an appealing openness. That translucency makes his reactions to the people around him especially vivid, but when his mother and his pastor conflict, he grows agitated. He must find a way out of the conflict himself -- and assert his own instincts amid the loud clamor of stubborn grown-ups. Andy's way of resolving the conflict in his heart forms the essential thesis of GOD AND BUDDHA ARE FRIENDS, which has the clarity and wisdom that children have and adults often forget. His perspective is simple but clear; he remembers the central impulse to be and do good, no matter what the creed. It's when that central impulse is overlaid with the drive for control and even domination that we encounter trouble. Andy chooses peace, kindness and amity -- something perhaps the spiritual leaders in the title would choose as well, and the adults would do well to remember. GOD AND BUDDHA ARE FRIENDS. Courtesy of Anthony Ma at https://instagram.com/godandbuddhaarefriends.