Gonella Productions

LANGUAGE: English

SYNOPSIS

Wei, 21, has not clashed with her real estate agent mother for over a year since they started a new system – “talking” to each other solely through cheerful-looking notes. However, when Wei clumsily announces that she is moving out to live independently, her obstinate mother declares war.

LOGLINE

A girl tries to her Mom she wants to move out but her Mom communicates only with non-verbal methods.

NOMINATIONS

2015 – Best Script – 6th Singapore Short Film Awards

FESTIVALS

2017 – 10th WAMMFest Women And Minorities in Media
2017 – 17th D.C. Asian Pacific American Film Festival
2017 – 3rd Beeston Film Festival
2016 – 17th San Diego Asian Film Festival
2016 – 9th Île Courts-International Short Film Festival in Mauritius
2016 – 8th Seoul Int’l Extreme-Short Image & Film Festival (In Competition)
2016 – 32nd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

DIRECTOR STATEMENT

When I first read Yingxuan’s script, I got really into it. The script’s themes spoke to me, and the tension and relationship between mother and daughter stayed with me long after I read the script. I sought to bring to life the script, and also the challenge of working on someone else’s script. I was really amused by the use of non-verbal communication, like texting, post-its, word magnets and more. The amount of passive-aggression is so ripe for family drama and comedy.

DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY

Leon Cheo is a writer/director whose latest short film “SIN-SFO” won Best Live Action and Best Director at the 2019 National Youth Film Awards in Singapore. The film premiered in-competition at the Academy Award-qualifying 25th Austin Film Festival. His web series “People Like Us” won ‘Best Short TV Drama’ at the 2016 ITVFest (Vermont), ‘Best Web Drama Series’ at the Formosa Festival of International Filmmaker Awards, and ‘Best Supporting Actor – Drama’ at the 2017 Indie Series Awards. The series is distributed on HereTV in the United States, and Gagaoolala in most of Asia. Other highlights include “The Three Sisters” which won ‘Best Short Film’ at the 2012 NETPAC-Jogja Asian Film Festival; “Move Out Notice” which broadcast on the Lifetime (Asia) channel and nominated for Best Script at the Singapore Short Film Awards; “Nuts” which received honourable mention for the YOMYOMF Interpretations 2.0 competition, founded by Justin Lin (“Star Trek: Beyond”). Leon is an alumnus of Outfest InFusion (2016), Berlinale Talents (2014), Asian Film Academy (2013) and Talents Tokyo (2012).

DIRECTOR FILMOGRAPHY

2019 – People Like Us: S2
2018 – SIN-SFO
2016 – Nuts
2016 – People Like Us: S1
2015 – Move Out Notice
2013 – Departure (Asian Film Academy)
2012 – The Three Sisters
2011 – Triple X
2010 – Swing
2008 – Four Dishes
2007 – Bu Ye Tian (Nightless Day)

CAST

Chen Yingxuan as Wei
Liow Shi Suen as Mother

CREDITS

Director: Leon Cheo
Producer: Leon Cheo
Script: Chen Yingxuan
Production Design: Yang Ke Liang
Costumes: Eve Tan
Cinematography: Lim Teck Siang
Music: Teo Wei Yong and Tze Toh
Audio Post/Mix: Takuya Katsu
Editor: Valris Ang