Filmmaker Statement

I grew up in a very conventional Asian family, where emotions are repressed and feelings are never talked about. The relationships between me and my parents are distanced and intimidating. Nevertheless I never doubt the love my parents have for me. It’s a weirdly cohesive balance. In the process of writing JADE, the plot came out intuitively, but I had a hard time digging into the deepest desire in Jade, the reasons why she insists on having the baby. Then I remembered when I was a child, I always imagined having my own happy family — that desire obviously came from the dissatisfaction for my primary family. I slowly realized what Jade wants as a mother, is actually reflecting what she wants as a daughter. Becoming a mother is a transformation for Jade to be stronger and face her fear and desire. Jade is the miniature of all the people who share this kind of parent-child relationships — wanting to be independent, wanting to prove that they’re more than who their parents want them to