Private Project

Introducing Mimi

A young Chinese American woman meets her tutor at the library to relearn a language she once knew as a child. A playful and awkward lesson ensues, as they use a messy mix of Mandarin and English to translate book titles and invent stories about other library patrons. Introducing Mimi explores the humor and frustration of losing your voice and finding it again.

  • Emai Lai
    Director
  • Amy Chu
    Writer
  • Ana Curi
    Producer, Editor
  • Matthew Jiang
    Director of Photography
  • Juliette Lin
    Key Cast
    "Mimi"
  • Leo Young
    Key Cast
    "Hudson"
  • Oliver Wessels
    Supporting Cast
  • Kellie Tropeano
    Supporting Cast
  • Kendel Dawson
    Supporting Cast
  • Andrew Kim
    First Assistant Camera
  • Cameron Hunt
    Gaffer
  • Kendel Dawson
    Key Grip
  • Eran Avni-Singer
    Sound Recordist
  • Amy Chu
    Production Designer
  • Avni Ambalam
    Costume Designer
  • Cindy He
    Social Media
  • Hugh Cheon
    PA
  • Sydney Jean-Simon
    PA
  • Dalena Soun
    PA
  • Peter Lu
    Music
  • Skyelyn Riggs-Davis
    Sound Design
  • Brendon Wilson
    Colorist
  • Reading Public Library
    Special Thanks
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    drama, comedy
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 23 seconds
  • Production Budget:
    6,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Mandarin Chinese
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • DisOrient Asian American Film Festival
    Eugene, OR
    United States
  • Made Here Film Festival
    Burlington, VT
  • Astoria Film Festival
    Astoria, NY
  • Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival
    Houston, TX
  • The Roxbury International Film Festival
    Boston, MA
Director Biography - Emai Lai

“Introducing Mimi” is a film co-created by director Emai Lai and screenwriter Amy Chu.

Emai Lai is a Boston-based filmmaker who has created sketch comedy videos and narrative short films. Emai’s previously directed short film "Key Change" was featured in the Mystic Film Festival and was a semi-finalist for the Student Los Angeles Film Awards. Since then, she has helped produce Yumeji House Pictures’ "Mandarins" and the upcoming short "Cherry-Colored Funk" — both films about Asian American and immigrant experiences.

Amy Chu has written scripts, personal essays, and comics. Her comics and illustrations have been published in magazines, such as The Commuter and Slant’d. She is a regular contributor to the cooperatively owned newsletter, Flaming Hydra. Amy thinks a lot about how our identity shapes our relationships in life and love.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This story was inspired by Amy’s experience taking Mandarin classes, relearning and reconnecting with her family’s Wuhan dialect. Emai on the other hand, rage-quit Chinese school as a child and has never been fluent in Mandarin. She’s now attempting to repair her relationship with learning new languages and currently holds a 471-day streak on Duolingo.

Like many second-generation Asian Americans, we both share the frustration and regret of feeling disconnected from a culture or language we feel we "should" know better – whether it’s the language our parents speak, one we learned in school, or one we knew as children. While Mimi’s story focuses on her relationship with Mandarin, we hope it resonates with anyone who has a connection to a second language or has felt any angst about growing up and changing. At the end of the day, we want audiences to feel empowered and inspired to express themselves, even if they don’t have all the words for it.