Pianissimo
A hard-of-hearing Chinese-American adolescent is forced to learn piano by his mother. On the eve of his piano exam to be accepted into a private institution, he is pitted between his mother and father as he decides his own future.
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Andrew YuenDirectorPROJECT: KLB2, Synchros
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Andrew YuenWriterPROJECT: KLB2, Synchros
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Briar ChungProducerMarvin is Sorry
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Karen HanProducer
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Joseph LeeKey Cast"Aiden"Ān-dé-lǔ
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Tommy ZKey Cast"Mr. Wang"
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Jennifer JangKey Cast"Mrs. Wang"
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Jane FordKey Cast"Mrs. Barkleys"
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Sydney Elliot SpeltzKey Cast"Interviewer"
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Macarena BernavaKey Cast"Receptionist"
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Kevin GaoDirector of Photography
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Briar ChungCasting DirectorMarvin is Sorry
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Andrew YuenEditorPROJECT: KLB2, Synchros
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Cleo GaribayAssistant Director
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Lucy TianGaffer
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Olivia ShengGripRebel
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Cecil YangProduction Designer
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Tess McNultyApartment Owner
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Derek YuCar Owner
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Tracy JingCar Owner
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Tess McNultyASL Consultant
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Allen YuenMandarin Translator
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Alice ChangMandarin Translator
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Briar ChungSound DesignerMarvin is Sorry
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Angela KwakColorist
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Briar ChungMusic SupervisorMarvin is Sorry
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Andy TaylorFestival ManagerPROJECT: KLB2
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Michelle LeeSpecial Thanks
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Alan HeSpecial ThanksĀn-dé-lǔ
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Matt TroySpecial Thanks
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Project Type:Short, Student
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Runtime:8 minutes 46 seconds
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Completion Date:September 6, 2024
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Production Budget:500 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:American Sign Language, English, Mandarin Chinese
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:5:4
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:Yes - New York University
Andrew is a NYC / Bay Area-based filmmaker currently studying at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He's worked on films such as "Project: KLB2" which screened at festivals such as Cinequest and won Best Narrative Short at the Harlem International Film Festival Youth. He focuses on telling striking empathetic stories which challenge traditional views on societal norms.
One of the biggest and yet most unspoken phenomena that I've noticed among my Asian-American community is the heavy stigmatization of disabilities, specifically among parental figures. Particularly as it pertains to their own children, Asian culture has always deemed self-worth around stability and personal accomplishment. The biggest example of this is the piano, a tired trope of Asian culture that yet many of us can relate to. Aiden Wang is that child, and yet his hearing loss puts him right at the crossroads of his parent's wishes. How they choose to act and respond to him is a product of a culture so engrained in misunderstanding and yet, none of it matters. In the end, it is Aiden's decision to fight for his own future.