Mother & Father 

Completed on 2nd April, 2009

Script writtern and directed by Tonnae Kwong.

Camera: Tonnae Kwong, Mr Unknown

Actor: Nancy Wong's Parents --- Mr & Mrs Wong

This is an assignment done back in university for Steve Nanoda's fine art class.

The shot is a combination of 2 different clips. Thanks to my friend allowing me to film her parents in their house in Winnipeg.

This video portrays a common condition of a conservative family in modern society.

The mother and father were filmed in different rooms busily indulged in their own business. Even when a visitor enters, they don't even care to socialise with the visitor. Instead they would just take a look and continue their chores. The sliding door sound indicated the approach of their child and they do show awareness but no interest for socialising.

During the presentation it was planned to play out in a dark room with a decoration of a regular house on the exterior. The video was supposed to play in loops to emphasis the unbreakable silence/ no socialisation of this house. Although the final presentation was eventually not able to be realised as the school resources were not sufficient to accomplish it back then, the idea was highly appreciated by my Canadian Japanese instructor as he felt a strong conncection and sympathy for this type of typical Asian parenting style. He felt it was not good to be lacking in communication, but in my opinion, it was just another way how some parents educate their children to be reserved and emotionally independent.

Many conservative Asian families have limited to no socialising among family members as the couple are not accustomed to have small talks with their children during their up bringing. There might be a generation gap and it is becoming pretty regular as people are much more busier with their own entertainment and work. People have started to build their own gaps within the house even though they appear to be under a very peaceful roof.