hi ading

“hi ading” is a poetic short that provides a glimpse into a love story. Speaking to their parents’ past selves, Dinaly asks and hopes that these past versions might help them realize that the decisions they may not understand are still made out of love.

  • Dinaly Tran
    Director
  • Dinaly Tran
    Writer
  • Nelson Tran
    Key Cast
  • Violeta Munar Tran
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Documentary, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 7 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 6, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English, Other, Vietnamese
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival
    Chicago, IL
    United States
    September 29, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Fairy Tales Queer Art & Film Festival
    Calgary, AB
    Canada
    June 29, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival
    Milwaukee, WI
    United States
    June 15, 2024
    Best of Fest Honorable Mention Award, Official Selection
  • image+nation festival courts queer short film fest
    Montreal, QC
    Canada
    June 13, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Wicked Queer: Boston LGBTQ+ Film Festival
    Boston, MA
    United States
    April 7, 2024
    Official Selection
  • TAG! Queer Shorts Festival
    Portland, OR
    United States
    April 6, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Norwich International Queer Festival of Film
    Norwich, UK
    United Kingdom
    March 3, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Reelout Queer Film Festival
    Kingston, ON
    Canada
    February 10, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Regent Park Film Festival
    Toronto, ON
    Canada
    November 26, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Reel Asian International Film Festival
    Toronto, ON
    Canada
    November 18, 2023
    DGC Ontario and WIFT Toronto Film Award, Official Selection
  • ImageOut: Rochester LGBTQ+ Film Festival
    Rochester, NY
    United States
    October 14, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Flip the Script Film Festival
    Minneapolis, MN
    United States
    October 7, 2023
    US Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest
    London, UK
    United Kingdom
    September 23, 2023
    International Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Toronto Queer Film Festival
    Toronto, ON
    Canada
    March 24, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Dinaly Tran

Dinaly J Tran is a queer, trans, nonbinary Filipinx-Vietnamese community organizer, and artist. They aim to create spaces and tell stories that empower and uplift folks with similar identities. Their latest short film, "hi ading", received the DGC Ontario and WIFT Toronto Film Award from the Reel Asian International Film Festival as well as Best of Fest Honorable Mention from the Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"Ading" means 'little one' in Ilocano, a nickname my parents continue to use for me. This film draws parallels between their immigration stories and my transition. We don't always tell our parents everything, sometimes forgetting that they had to go through similar things to be where they are now. I am currently at the age where they would have talked about getting married and having kids and am reflecting on these life decisions. Being queer and trans, we are usually more than what our parents imagined for us, and spectacularly, more than we ever imagined for ourselves.