Unwavering

A couple of years ago, actor-producer Ami Park was in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign for a project, which happened to be Unwavering. To promote the campaign, she hosted a panel discussion that included three leaders in the AAPI entertainment community who are all active in improving representation in the industry. At that point, I knew I wanted to be involved with the project somehow - at least as a supporter. Ami and I had just collaborated and worked together earlier in the year on the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge short film, titled Unread, for the non-profit SafeBAE, which is a surivor-founded, student-led organization to end sexual assault amongst middle and high school students. The short film placed second in the competition.

After the panel, Ami, Christine, and Elizabeth shared their idea with me, and I was instantly interested and intrigued. I could feel the team’s excitement, and I wanted to jump on their train.
I had already been working on two projects that tied thematically into Unwavering - a project about the murder of Vincent Chin and the movement that formed after, and a project that’s set at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Unwavering explores the lives of four women in a fictional Bay Area school in the late 1960s, as they are all searching for their voice and trying to understand their place in a male-dominant world. The story focuses on the character Carolyn Kim, as she uncovers her voice through the student-led protests fighting for ethnic studies.

I am grateful to Ami, Christine, and Elizabeth for choosing me and seeing me, to direct the story that they wanted to tell. It had been several years since I had directed a short film. And to have had two opportunities in 2021 to direct both the CBS Leadership Pipeline Challenge film, and this team’s Unwavering was truly a blessing. And to be able to work with Ami Park on both projects was a joy. With both projects, we were able to tell unique and untold stories that focused on an Asian American character. As a filmmaker, I’ve discovered that I am both a personal investigative reporter and a creative storyteller. My short films have focused on giving a platform for unheard voices, specifically harnessing the voices of Asian and Asian American girls and women, often in intergenerational contexts. And I am thankful to have Unwavering be a part of my portfolio. I hope that Unwavering will inspire those who feel underrepresented to have the bravery to raise their voice.

WRITER'S STATEMENT:

Unwavering started with three actresses during the pandemic shutdown, who wanted to make a short film. We wanted to make a period piece that we could all fit into, that resonated with audiences, and to use our creativity to make something beautiful and special. It morphed into a real mission to make a story that mattered to us- a story that reflects current events, as well as teaches, educates, and inspires others to step outside their comfort zones and make bold choices.

I grew up very shy and with a lot of confidence issues. I’m still finding myself as an artist and as a person. Writing and producing Unwavering was the challenge and push that I needed in my life to start trusting myself as an artist. But ultimately, the people surrounding me are what kept me going. Alle, Ami, Sarah, Elizabeth, Whitney, and Zoe are all collaborators who I truly admire and look up to. We had an amazing cast who I learned so much from, watching them bring our script to life. So much of the time, I felt unqualified to write this story. I even tried to get other people to write it for me; ultimately, it always ended up back in my lap. I had to remind myself that despite my lack of confidence in my writing, that people actually wanted to do this, that this story mattered to people. It pushed me to keep going.

Unwavering is not only a story of educational and racial equality- it’s a story of stepping outside of your comfort zone, standing up for what’s right, and taking a stand for something- even when it’s scary or might come with consequences. Inclusion is also something that really matters to me, especially making people feel less alone, empowered, more confident. Even if I don’t always feel confident in myself, the thought of making others feel safe, included, important, and valued is something that really excites me. I truly feel that is at the heart of Unwavering: finding community and people who truly understand you.