Fragmented

In an Asian American family, a devoted wife cares for her frail husband in the late stage of dementia. Reluctant to let go, she finally accepts her son’s help. As her life unfolds before her eyes, she is reminded of why she perseveres and finds comfort in their enduring love.

  • Tina Quach
    Director
  • Jiming Sun Lindal
    Writer
  • Jiming Sun Lindal
    Producer
  • Ge Geng
    Key Cast
    "Mei"
  • Paul Wong
    Key Cast
    "Xin"
  • Angel Jin
    Key Cast
    "Young Mei"
  • Darren Huang
    Key Cast
    "Young Xin"
  • Patrick Chou
    Key Cast
    "John"
  • Florence Ding
    Key Cast
    "Auntie Ding"
  • Kai-Yong Lauritzen
    Key Cast
    "Baby John"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    碎片
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 14, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    32,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Mandarin Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    4K UHD 16:9 ProRes4444
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Tina Quach

T. L. Quach is an Asian American Director and DGA-qualified Assistant Director who focuses on directing Commercial Content and Dramatic Narratives. For commercials, she works with clients from underrepresented backgrounds, allowing them to have a visual voice for their brand. Her commercial with Brewyard Brewery has aired on ESPN, Comedy Central, and CNN in the local area under Spectrum Reach. In her narrative work, she emphasizes themes about women’s fears, striving to diversify and update the Thriller and Drama genres with a Female POC lens. Her feature-length script, CRAVE, has been awarded in numerous screenwriting competitions, including Scriptapalooza, ScreenCraft, and Final Draft Big Break.

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Director Statement

After reading the script for the first time, I cried as it reminded me of my grandmother, who is currently bedridden and at a dormant stage of dementia. As much as I usually direct Psychological Thrillers and Commercial Content, I wanted to make this film for her.

Dementia is never an easy subject. No one wants to talk about it because it’s so sad, especially Asian Americans, who embody a lot of shame when discussing difficult issues. Therefore, the writer, Jiming Lindal, and I are trying to expose the topic more, reveal to the audience that there’s a silver lining to the situation, and bring comfort in talking about it.

I focused more on close-ups and inserts in the visuals to establish scenes and ease the audience into the story. As a director focusing mainly on suspense, I understand the power of revealing information. I structured this film in a way that reveals the characters and their environment little by little. Not only does Xin, the husband with dementia, have his memories fragmented, but so does the protagonist, Mei, as she reflects on her life. Her journey in this film is reminiscing about her relationship with her husband, accepting herself and her situation, and appreciating the love that was given to her.

Additionally, I aim to shape the film as a Chinese-American experience, marrying both cultures together. The dialogue has a theme of Plum Blossoms (Mei), which is famous in China and represents perseverance, which is key for this character as she shares the same name. In this theme of perseverance, there’s also fragileness, as humans may be strong but still mortal. Therefore, I incorporated more floral elements, specifically Peonies, native to China and North America, to enhance the home, resembling how temporary life is and that there is beauty in all stages of their flowers’ lives and ours.

This film isn’t only about dementia; it’s also about finding pieces of memories to build and remind ourselves how our lives were worth living. For my grandmother, what hurt me the most was knowing she never fully healed from the trauma of immigration, poverty, and war, and when she did have memories, she always complained about the past and clung to me because I was her future. Unfortunately, I cannot rewrite her story, but I can transfer her spirit into this short film, and despite all the struggle, there was a lot of love within the journey of life.