HOME IS A GHOST (SHORT FILM)

This short film is based on a delightfully true event: just a few years ago, my po po– a legally blind, feisty, Chinese migrant – won an arm wrestling match against me, my sister and my mom with complete ease. This moment encapsulates my grandmother’s strength and resilience. Meditating on memory, home, cross-cultural communication and legacy, I recreate this moment in a surreal and playful way. I use a mixture of stop motion and live action to activate a series of hand-crafted soft sculptures, puppets and costumes – such as miniature textile dolls of my family members and stitched gloves of my grandmother’s hands.

This film is lovingly crafted with laborious processes, including hand-sewing and stop motion animation – practices that require slowness, attention, care and the human hand. This film is a celebration of my po po.

Below are screenshots and short exerts from the film. If you’re interested in viewing the full piece, please email me.

Film with Handmade puppets, props and costumes
Sound Design by Micah Meuleman
6 minutes, 41 seconds
2023