Another Day tells the story of two Asian American sisters who are grappling with issues related to the very real, present-day coronavirus pandemic. They cope not only with the grief of losing their mother to the disease, but also the heightened discrimination that they have been facing as Asian Americans during this time. Yet despite their challenges, the sisters are able to find hope and solace in remembering their mother and having one another. We chose to create and share this difficult narrative because we believe it is a very relevant and important story to highlight at this time. It is one that many of us can relate to in one way or another.
Although our current circumstances inspired our narrative, we were equally inspired by the methods employed in various East Asian films we explored. In particular, Ozu served as our main source of inspiration in creating our film. Like Ozu, we focused on the nuances that play out in familial relationships and incorporated several pillow shots to deepen the meaning behind our message. Additionally, we frequently borrowed from Ozu’s characteristic tatami shots, filming from a low camera height, avoiding tracking shots, and framing borders of a backdrop to the camera wherever possible. Furthermore, we were inspired by Ozu in our directing and editing techniques as well. As Ozu was often known for recording his actors’ lines separately before editing them together, we found it very helpful to use the same method for our film, especially given our circumstantially forced distance. In addition to Ozu, we also drew inspiration from Chungking Express by Wong Kar-Wai in order to connect our two sisters’ storylines together, and express the characters’ emotional states and backstories through nondiegetic sound. Through our film, we aimed to convey multiple messages. Although the ultimate message is left to audience interpretation, we hope that Another Day reminds audience members to be grateful for each and every one of our front-line heroes, to stay strong amidst the discrimination against Asian Americans, and to do their part during these difficult times. Most importantly, however, we hope our viewers are left with hope, as they are reminded of the importance of supporting each other through difficult times.