Shih-Chun, the writer and director of the short film A Better Place, stated in an email correspondence that “the film has been nominated for a Jury Award at the Austin Film Festival.” The film was screened during the festival in the Shorts Program 1—Thicker Than Blood at both the Galaxy and Rollins Theaters.
“A little about me: I’m a Taiwanese writer/Editor/Director and recent graduate of USC’s MFA film program. A Better Place is my graduate thesis, and I’m currently working as an assistant editor with Richard Halsey, the Oscar-winning editor of Rocky (1976).”
The film, as IMDb describes, is about “a city boy – looking out for the welfare of his family – tries to convince his immigrant parents to sell their cherished family farm.” Also noted on IMDb is the First Look, USA nomination for Outstanding Directing (2024 Nominee Faculty Award) for Shih-Chun Hsiao.
A Better Place is a 19-minute short drama. The film stars Sam Song Li as Henry Liu, son of Tzu – Yi Liu (Jen Kuo Sung) and Lisa Liu (Lydia Look). Henry is seen to be very pensive at the film’s beginning before he drives up to the family home. His mother, Lisa, is happy to see him but also surprised as he arrived unannounced after a significant amount of time (as any mother might feel when an adult child has been away/hasn’t called).
One of the most appealing points about the film’s script is how universal this story feels. It is not limited to one culture or ethnicity. Henry has genuine concerns for his aging parents and has an idea of what he sees would benefit them. Benefits do not only mean financial benefits but also for their health, as the parents are running a physically strenuous business. For anyone of a certain age who has dealt with caring for an elder or approaching the subject of the following steps for aging loved ones, older adults do not want to be rushed into changes, especially in their home environment.
Then, there is also the question of “development and developers” in many cities across the nation and how those changes are not always beneficial to all in the community/region. The family’s land has good soil for planting and has yielded abundant products to sell. Henry’s parents know the value of all this.
I look forward to seeing more shorts and/or features this filmmaker is a part of, especially as a screenwriter and director. His work as an editor also shines brightly in this film as well. If the film continues the festival circuit, put this on your list of short films to watch.
Source: Austin Film Festival, IMDb, filmmaker