A Family Act

After being away from her childhood home Riley temporarily returns to Vancouver to stay with her brother upon the death of a distant relative. The film centres around Riley's relationship with her brother and the tension that surfaces after being apart from the family and culture she grew up in. Throughout the course of the film Riley struggles with understanding her identity as a second generation chinese-canadian, a distinction she only comes to realize after leaving home and returning.

  • Ashley Yeung
    Director
  • Ashley Yeung
    Writer
  • Hân Phạm
    Producer
  • Cindy Kao
    Key Cast
    "Riley"
  • Leslie Kwan
    Key Cast
    "Levi"
  • Sharmaine Yeoh
    Key Cast
    "Mom"
  • Wynn Siu
    Key Cast
    "Great Auntie"
  • Martin Chan
    Assistant Director
  • Selina Repole
    Director of Photography
  • Cristina Basgan
    First Assistant Camera
  • Andrea Velez
    Gaffer
  • Peter Lee
    Grip
  • Amelia Simard
    Grip
  • Ambiel Liu
    Art Director
  • Serena Yue
    Art Assistant
  • Paige Fast
    Production Sound Mixer
  • Ciaran Davis-McGregor
    Production Sound Mixer
  • Taya Van Dyke
    Boom Operator
  • Nicholas Charuk
    Post Production Sound Mixer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 8, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    800 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    Chinese, English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1:89:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Ashley Yeung

Ashley Yeung is a writer and director, and a graduate of Simon Fraser University with a BFA in Film Production. She is a second generation Chinese-Canadian born and raised in Vancouver, BC. Her work is rooted in her culture and self-identity as both a Chinese female and a Canadian citizen. She strives to make films that promote representation and reflect the diversity of Canada. Her previous films have ranged from narrative, experimental, promotional, to dance. Her last dance film collaboration with Chalk Dance Collective was screened at the 2019 FORM Film Festival. Most recently, her graduation film "A Family Act" won the BC Student Shortwork award at Whistler Film Festival 2021.

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Director Statement

Family has always meant one thing to me - as a single concept that defined everything in my life. Every action, every thought, every aspect of who I was became a reflection of my family. To be Chinese was to be a part of a unit. That was the understanding that my siblings and I were raised within. We were never to question those who came before us because we had what we had for a reason; our parents, our grandparents, and every member of our family worked hard for us so that we would never know their struggles. To question a history that gave us this privilege was to disrespect family and the sacrifices they made for us.

However, for many Chinese born Canadians we share two unique perspectives. These distinct perspectives makes it hard for us to blindly follow traditional chinese values without question as we are simultaneously influenced by Westernized values. We straddle the line between two distinct cultures, never feeling a part of one that makes a whole but rather, our identity as defined in two parts. This story is every part about family as it is about individual identity; furthermore, what does it mean to be an individual in a community that is defined as a unit? A Family Act is a story that has unfolded because of the questions I was never supposed to ask.

Riley, the main character of the film, embodies the inner conflict that many Chinese born Canadians face. She returns to her childhood home after being away for school, temporarily returning to Vancouver to stay with her brother Levi upon the death of a distant relative. The film focuses on Riley but largely centres around the relationship between Riley and her brother and the tension that surfaces after being apart from the family and culture she grew up in. Throughout the course of the film Riley struggles with understanding her identity as a second generation chinese-canadian, a distinction she only comes to realize after having left home.

This story, although envisioned through the lens of a Chinese-Canadian, is universal in the stories it tells of family. This story is every bit Chinese as it is Canadian.