In conversation with Kay Zhang, writer and director of ‘Mother in the Mist’

Part of Very Asian’s mission is to increase Asian representation in entertainment and help share our nuanced stories. By sharing more of our stories, we ultimately invite others in to learn more about us and our backgrounds. I’m lucky to help do this by interviewing emerging talent like Chinese filmmaker, Kay Zhang.

Kay is the writer and director of her award-winning short film, “Mother in the Mist.” The film follows Zhao (Shen Shi Yu), a new mother who has yet to see the daughter she gave birth to, and Snowie (Wang Xi Wen), a little girl fighting her own way to the heart of the catastrophic epidemic in the hope of seeing her mother. The two join forces, evading curfew and protocol to be with their loved ones. The story takes place in Wuhan, China where Kay is also from.

Speaking over video from our respective homes in New York City and Los Angeles, Kay and I discuss her film, what it’s like to be an Asian female filmmaker, and the stories she hopes to tell.

These are edited excerpts from our conversation.

Did you always want to be filmmaker?

No, I did not. I always enjoyed watching films as a kid; that’s kind of how I learned English. I grew up in China, and Duke (University) was my first stop in the United States. I studied liberal arts, history, and international comparative studies for undergrad. At the time, I didn’t know if I fully wanted to get into art. 

What’s your experience like coming from China to the United States?

It was a really suffocating 4 years because of the location. I was not prepared for it at all. The America that I knew of before was New York, Brooklyn, Gossip Girl, California, etc. I didn’t really have an understanding of what the south was like. It was quite a shock for me even though I was so exposed to western and American culture. Durham felt really conservative to me. Back then I didn’t even have the knowledge to give a name to it, or define it, and be able to articulate my experience of feeling like an outsider.

I remember going out for a community outreach project to one elementary school, and it really surprised me how segregated it was. All of the students were Black and Latino. I walked in and they looked at me like I was an alien. I was surprised that it seemed like they had never seen an Asian person in their classroom. It was a really alienating experience. I went to another school and it was all white students. 

In my junior year of college, I did a Duke and USC collaboration program called “Duke in LA” and that was life altering. First of all, I saw a lot more Asian people. And Asian people were not trying to put on a white coat. I felt like people were comfortable with their own culture and celebrating it. 

What was your parents reaction to going into entertainment? 

My parents are the most supportive parents in the world. I appreciate and cherish them so much because they really expanded their perspective, horizon, and awareness as I grew up. A lot of times, we realize that we’re growing but our parents are not interested in taking in new perspectives but that’s not the case for my parents. They are so happy to see me create and see me in my artistic world. 

Tell me about your film, “Mother in the Mist.”

The film is adapted from a true story from early 2020. In the real-life version of the story, the mother has her baby but the lockdown and policies prevented her from getting her baby for at least 3 months. I was just thinking, “What power on earth could stop a mother from seeing her infant child?” For me, I was thinking about the confrontation between human struggle and institutions. 

A layer that was important to me was motherhood, kinship, and the ultimate love that we have as animals. The love we have for our elders and little ones. I think from 2020 until now, the entire world just witnessed so much death. We really need to stop and take time to reflect on that. Our lives are so vulnerable and the family and love that we have can be so ethereal. 

I wrote the script for the film in six hours.

I’m still working through distribution but I’m hoping audiences can stream the film in the second half of this year.

Why was it important for you to make a film in the context of Wuhan and the pandemic?

That’s definitely a momentum behind me making this film. I’m from Wuhan, it’s my hometown. This story is from people I’m related to. All of a sudden, my social media and news is filled with information from this place that I’m attached to and then suddenly, it’s worldly known but in the worst way possible. I just spent the first three months of 2020 living in total fear, uncertainty, and anxiety wondering what’s going to happen to my family. Telling a Wuhan story was really important to me.

I also want to remind people that these people are not the virus spreaders. These are human beings we’re talking about. These are people’s mothers, daughters, fathers, and sons. These are people who have emotions. 

I wanted to create a gentle gaze toward these people, and to see what emotions they are going through. 

What’s it like to be an Asian female filmmaker?

I think I’m in the best time that it can be. It’s not a great time, it will take a long time to really own a voice in this industry, but it’s already way better than it was 10 years ago. There are definitely more opportunities than there were. People are more open to watching content that’s not just about themselves. I actually think the pandemic created this change. 

K-dramas have seen a huge success with streaming services. Americans are now willing to read subtitles. That’s a big step in humankind. You make Americans read subtitles… that’s just a big accomplishment.

What are the stories you’re motivated to tell, and what’s your mission as a storyteller?

I want to make people cry. When you’re hearing or watching a story, you can fake a laugh but you can never fake your tears. Whenever you’ve made someone cry, you really reach something in this other person’s heart and that’s the ultimate form of recognition and understanding.

Thematically, I definitely want to tell stories about women. I will always be making very emotional, female coming-of-age films. Stories about women reaching new stages of growth. 

My next film is an award-winning script that I’m making into a feature length film. It’s about a female international student from China who comes the U.S. While carrying a huge burden to live the American Dream and to survive here, she’s actually facing unemployment, visa issues, and she’s in a really dire situation. But she can’t tell her family because she’s keeping the successful facade. In her most desperate situation, she takes on a random gig with a Chinatown hooker who doesn’t speak English. The two women start a journey together, and it changes her perspective of success.

What’s your opinion of how Asians are portrayed in American entertainment and media?

First of all, is it even there? There’s so little. I only see it because I look for it, I look for those Asian characters. On a larger scale, if you think of how the majority of America consumes content, it’s very diluted. It’s very likely most people don’t come across an Asian face. 

Whenever there’s an Asian person on screen, they always find ways to alienate us. We’re ultra rich, or ultra poor, we’re illegal, or sketchy. These are alienating methods to make us seem less American. We’re not portrayed with much subtlety. 

Is there anyone on your collaboration wishlist?

Jimmy O. Yang (Ouyang)! I know his dad, Richard Ouyang, who is also an actor. I would love to work with both of them. 

How has the rise of anti-Asian hate affected your views and the role you feel like you can play with your storytelling?

It will be my lifelong mission to tell Asian stories.