The Blessing Short Film

Straddling two worlds as an Asian American woman has never been better illustrated than when I’m negotiating the culture clash between my Chinese mother and mid-western boyfriend.

As the bridge between two people who grew up on different sides of the world, speak different languages, and process different social cues, I have had the privilege of observing some deeply touching and often hilarious interactions.

Asian mothers are frequently stereotyped for being power-hungry, materialistic, and unemotional, while American men are often painted as career-obsessed, aggressive and overconfident. The two loves of my life do not fit either of these tropes and thus, I felt the need to write a script that subverts these tired expectations.

“The Blessing" was shot in one 10-hour day with a mostly Asian cast, and an Asian female cinematographer. It was an all hands on deck production where everyone on set could share their perspectives and help with the pronunciation of our Mandarin lines.

I’m so proud of the final product, which I view as a love story between a man and his future mother-in-law. At first glance, the two characters don’t have much in common, but their unconditional love for the same girl is what ultimately unites them.