On Nov. 16, the annual Asian World Film Festival, held at the Culver City Theatre, screened 12 movies as part of its short film program. “Saverio” and “Life Support,” collaborations between the United States and South Korea that were screened at the festival, were specifically developed to spread awareness of real-world issues.
The cast and creators of “Saverio” and “Life Support” joined the other filmmakers to discuss their creative process in a Q&A after the screenings.
“Saverio”
Ellen Ancui, an award-winning screenwriter for film, theatre and TV, wrote and directed “Saverio” to spread awareness of the silent issue of elderly abandonment. After beginning to care for her father, Ancui realized how challenging caregiving is, especially without the proper resources.
The film depicts a young Korean American woman named Mae, played by Quincy Cho, who is desperate to attend her boyfriend’s networking party. However, she encounters Saverio, a senior with dementia abandoned in her car, played by Roberto Medina. Feeling the guilt of leaving her own mother alone on the anniversary of her father’s death, she decides to look after the elderly man for the day, while still trying to attend her boyfriend’s event.
The coming-of-age drama-comedy navigates generational differences through the two characters’ costumes, mannerisms within performances and personal values. Ancui brings light to the term and problem of “granny dumping,” the abandonment of an elderly person in a public place by a relative. This is often committed by family members who are unable or unwilling due to financial problems, burnout or a lack of resources. As mentioned on the film’s website, “Saverio” aims to “create dialogue and action around the challenges of caregiving and perceptions towards the aging and elderly.”
“I was very identified with what’s going on. We’ve had my parents pass away, with lots of problems,” Medina said during the Q&A, “It’s a really current subject, so I’m very proud to be a part of this.”
After its short film debut, Ancui reveals that a feature film version of “Saverio” is in the works, currently searching for investors.
“Life Support”
The short film “Life Support” brings awareness to the struggles that many health professionals face, with the complex medical terminologies and a realistic portrayal of the working circumstances in high-stakes surgeries. At its screening for the Asian World Film Festival, Andrew Chu, who wrote and stars in the film, and producer Bonnie Kim introduced their national campaign to address the issue.
The film follows Dr. Daniel Cho, an emergency physician who experiences burnout from the never-ending days and nights at the hospital. This gradual change forces him to confront the hidden traumas that he has carried beneath the surface of the life-and-death decisions he makes, all while mentoring a medical student on what it means to be a doctor. The two explore professional duties as well as human vulnerability in their roles as doctors through raw, authentic interactions.
Chu, a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Emergency at Stanford University, was inspired to write the story based on the lived experience of health professionals, including his own. As a real-life emergency physician, he frequently encounters unfortunate cases of injuries and even deaths. Chu said burnout led him to feel emotionally detached from his patients and their families.
“I felt like it was a betrayal of my own values as a doctor that I actually thought about quitting that day,” he said during the Q&A.
Using the film as a kickstart to addressing a greater issue, Dr. Chu and his campaign partner Bonnie Kim plan to find solutions to help the health professionals nationally.