Experiencing Interruptions?

an american family

An African American mother, her teenage son, and their expecting Filipina tenant form an unorthodox family over quiet moments in a shared kitchen.

  • Kieu-Anh Truong
    Director
    Two Daughters
  • Kieu-Anh Truong
    Writer
    Two Daughters
  • Ioana Turcan
    Producer
  • Criena House
    Key Cast
  • Serena Marie Williams
    Key Cast
  • Jordan Floyd
    Key Cast
  • Grace Cannon
    Director of Photography
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 1, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    3,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.85:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    May 7, 2018
    Official Selection / Short Film Competition
  • Central Michigan International Film Festival
    Mt. Pleasant
    United States
    February 16, 2019
    Midwest Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Seattle Asian American Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
    February 23, 2019
    Pacific Northwest Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Kieu-Anh Truong

Kieu-Anh was born in Viet Nam and is currently an MFA Film candidate at Syracuse University (NY, USA). She also attained a degree in Cinema Production at Ithaca College (NY, USA)

Kieu-Anh shows strong interest in diversity and immigrant narratives in a post-industrial, globalized society. Her short films include “A Study of Red" and the ongoing “Syracuse's Food Desert" project as well as the short fiction “an american family.”

She also did video works for non-profit organizations such as the International Rescue Committee and Asia Society.

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Director Statement

Different people go home to the same place, exchange stories of “How was your day?”, talk, make jokes, share food, and just like that, the house becomes the home, and strangers family. Sort of, anyways. Living as a tenant in different households for the last few years, these observations constitute my daily reality, hope and longing. Making "an american family" is both inevitable, and an immediate challenge.

"an american family" continues my fascination in distilled moments of daily lives and complexity of different family dynamics. The kitchen, often a communal space, contains many private moments and buried feelings. Through various kitchen scenes, the film observes subtle gradation of cohabitation and human’s relationships.

Though a very personal story, I hope this film will reach out to a big audience. As our lives and societies are in constant flux, how often do we share a kitchen with strangers?