Filmmaker Statement

BAYARD STREET grew from a conversation with my dad about how my immigrant parents met in the 1980's N.Y.C. and the struggles they faced to financially support our family and arguments they had that stemmed from their different class backgrounds. My dad was a working-class waiter from China while my mom was a wealthier immigrant from Taiwan. I wondered how these seemingly different people fell in love in a country that doesn’t love them back. Inspired by my parents, BAYARD STREET became a story of Andy and Mei Ching, young lovers filled with hope and romance, but soon realize the American Dream isn’t all it’s cut out to be. They reflect similar experiences to most Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants during the 1980s when the best possible options were to work in restaurants where very few people rise up to the corporate world. This film honors the people who’ve faced harsh realities and sacrifices in order to build better lives in America.