What's the full story?
The Laundromat documentary confronts the Asian American imperative:
“Don’t air your dirty laundry.” Within this community there is a strong
reticence to speak about sensitive issues, not only amongst friends, but also,
more importantly, within the family unit. The complicated dynamics between
self-expression and self-exposure make dialogue extremely challenging; and
there are few safe spaces for second- and third-generation Asian Americans to
acknowledge pain and discuss trauma. The consequences are serious: young
Asian Americans suffer the highest rates of suicide and depression and are less
likely to ask for help.
In an effort to
break the cycle of silence and self-suppression, The Laundromat centers
around the filmmakers’ journey of interviewing three Asian Americans who intimately discuss divorce, death, faith, abortion, molestation, and other tough topics. As they delve into their family
and community dynamics, the film examines how their parents view speaking out,
and how their family’s historical and cultural roots affect their
personal growth. These intimate stories are set against the larger story of culture, identity and the effects of silence according to professionals in
the mental health field. This film and the connected website work to create a space to take care of
dirty laundry, and empower different generations to address the prevailing
silence and find they are not alone in their struggle.
Who are the people making this happen?
Vanessa A. Yee - Director & Sound (vimeo.com/vanessaayee)
Judy Phu - Director of Photography & Everything else (www.judyphu.com)
Sun Kim - Consulting Editor (Editor: Tattooed Under Fire)
What's this website you mentioned?
I have a crack web designer and programmer who are helping me create an interactive website that would allow others to post their stories, dialogue with others in the community, and link users to Asian American mental health resources. I'm launching it soon and I'd love to connect my Kickstarter supporters to this resource. For now find updates and exciting news on the Facebook page.
Some Nice Press
From The Daily Bruin
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Funding period
- (40 days)