12/39

Angie and Pat have been together for over four decades, but after Pat’s unexpected death, Angie finds herself at the mercy of Pat’s family as she struggles to maintain her dignity and the home they have shared for over thirty years. Angie and Pat have been together for decades and have just hosted a mid-autumn dinner party for Pat’s biological family, who are financially weaker than Pat. The younger generation affectionately refers to her as “Auntie Angie.” However, when Pat dies in her sleep, Pat’s family sees Angie as nothing more than a “friend,” inferior to the family, overriding her wishes and gradually overriding her desires. push her out. The lawyer friend points out all of Pat’s omissions. Refusing to sign the will (Pat is considering starting a new business in fashion retail rather than acknowledge the possibility of death), the executorship is left to Pat’s brother. The lack of written burial instructions means that the biological family assumes responsibility. Marrying abroad means that Angie has no moral standing and what little legal standing such a piece of paper might provide. The fact that the apartment is in Pat’s name alone means that Angie has no claim to anything. The best thing Angie can do is to seek alimony from the estate. As Angie loses battle after battle, her chosen family provides emotional support. This is said to be based on real-life events and shows the problems of being unprepared. Films with this theme were shown in North America a decade or two ago, but most of the trouble ended when same-sex marriage became legal. This is a reminder that the fight for rights still needs to continue, but before rights are confirmed, the legal issues need to be resolved.