Filmmaker Statement

I write stories about people who reject their bodies by denying themselves primal experiences. It’s common for immigrants when our survival demands assimilation and masking. Writing “Last Call” became a vessel and practice towards creating a sense of belonging in this world. Drawing from Buddhist and Taoist texts and ancient Chinese folklore, I explored feminine bodies untouched by the Western gaze such as Nüwa, a serpent deity who was the creator of humankind. I delved deeper into the shape-shifting spirits I grew up with while watching Tsui Hark and Shaw Brothers films. These spirits were not only playful and sexy but also powerful in their ability to transform and navigate between different worlds. This reframed my own narrative around “otherness,” a perspective that shapes the overall vision for “Last Call.” In this film, “otherness” is a body that harmoniously exists between dichotomous realms: East and West, conscious and subconscious, reality and fantasy, pain and pleasure.