Interview with “The Wedding Banquet” Director, Andrew Ahn

Full transcript of Interview with “The Wedding Banquet” Director, Andrew Ahn.

0:14KT: Andrew, thank you so much for your time. Welcome to the For Your Reference podcast.

0:20Andy: Thank you for having me.

0:22KT: I know we don't have a lot of time, but off top, I just wanna say we love Fire Island as well as Pride and Prejudice. We, we also did a full review. Um, on our podcast, go and check it out, friends and lovers, the movie, but the podcast if you want as well. Um, and amazing. Yeah, and you know, just, not just queer cinema, but queer Asian cinema, um, Fire Island, obviously the Sydney Film Festival. There's been some great titles, you know, from Hong Kong to Korea and China, like, there's been so many great. Queer Asian cinema. And this is a big question I know. Um, The Wedding Banquet is also a remake.

1:01KT: Shout out to the legend Ang Lee as well. Um, how does it feel to not just do the remake, but you yourself, contribute to the richness of queer Asian cinema?

1:13Andy: That's, um, a, a, a really fun topic for me, you know, because I, it's, it's, it's something that I really care about, um, in my filmmaking. I, I think that there are, um, so many wonderful stories, um, you know, that exist within the queer Asian, you know, queer Asian American communities, and, um. You know, they, they don't often get told or, or get the, you know, kind of distribution platform to be out there and seen by folks. Um, and so it's something that I, um, you know, have, have really championed in my career so far. Um, you know, uh, the Ang Lee film is, is definitely a part of, you know, um. My story.

2:03Andy: Um, it, you know, The Wedding Banquet was the first gay film that I'd ever seen, you know, when I was eight years old. And the fact that it was a gay and Asian film and, you know, a film that really talks about, you know, the kind of balance and the intersection of culture and sexuality and family. You know, these are things that I, um. Ha have explored in my previous work and, and got to explore very directly on, on this film. Um, you know, I, I hope that people watch, you know, my Wedding Banquet and then get really excited and inspired to tell their own story, you know, and that it's a different, you know, side of. Um, you know, queer and Asian American culture.

2:50Andy: Um, you know, that would be, uh, like very meaningful to me. And, um, and, and hopefully something that happens, you know, in the future.

3:02KT: And that's how, that's how you can feel it through. 'cause it hits different right when it means something. Like a poppy popcorn thing is very cute, but, you know, people want stories that resonate, um, and speak to true experiences. And I even, in regards to homages, I don't wanna spoil too much about the OG and you know, the film that we're talking about today, but there is one particular sort of drawing that I do want to focus a little bit on, and it's the, i I, I guess it's the motif of portraits. Like the before and after of taking a portrait.

3:36KT: That's kind of where the realness is, you know? And that portrait that you get is that shiny view that maybe not just you, but others wanna show who you are to the world. And you know, films are moving pictures as well. And I can only imagine that it, because you feel so deeply and we feel you so deeply through the film. I can only imagine that that was also, you know, on a meta level in the making of The Wedding Banquet.

4:03Andy: I think, you know, in both the 1993 and then also in the, you know, version today. Mm-hmm. Um, you know, uh, the films are exploring kind of who are we, you know, to, you know, the outside world. Who are we to, um, you know, certain people in our lives. And then, and then who are we actually, you know? Yeah. Um, and, and sometimes we're

4:31KT: scared of who we are. We can't even confront that. Maybe there are themes in this film as well. Yeah.

4:37Andy: Oh, for sure. Yeah. You know, I think it's really hard to, um, to be yourself and to communicate, you know, who you are and what your priorities are, you know? Um, uh, but I, I think about how, you know, that's, um. An important process in growing up and in making room for the next generation, you know, is that we have to, you know, understand our, our, our authentic beings, and we have to, um, you know, uh. Tell the people around us like what we care about and um, what we need. Um, you know, those are the only ways to, um, you know, strengthen the bonds of family that you've already created and then make room for the next generation.

5:34KT: And family on many layers gets touched on. In The Wedding Banquet, like what it means to have a family, building your own family, and also redefining what that means and how much that means to you. And you know, sometimes life is messy and it's like, I don't know, I, I dunno who I am in this moment. I'm trying to figure it out. Just let me move this clutter away and let's just stay in this moment and. I guess there, there's so much of like a richness and you know, obviously it's a challenge, but you did it so beautifully in The Wedding Banquet.

6:10KT: How was it, I guess, distilling that and making sure that the layer and the complexities of family dynamics in whatever way that means? Um, how was that in creating The Wedding Banquet?

6:24Andy: Yeah. You know, um, uh, I was thinking so much about kind of how. The queer community has changed since 1993. And, um, one of those things is, you know, gay people can get married now. Mm-hmm. Um, and I wanted to show a couple kind of wrestling with this question of, well, how, like now that we can, should we, you know, like, do we want to, and. And then, you know, thinking about how in the original film there's a, you know, an accidental pregnancy, but what if you show a couple, you know, trying, trying to have a pregnancy, planning for a pregnancy.

7:07Andy: Um, and so, so much of this film is about, I. Now that we have the choice, now that we have the options, what happens? You know, the kind of of hopes and expectations. Um, the fear, you know, the responsibility. Um, and, and, and I think it's a sign of growth, right? That as a queer community we have, you know, more, um. We have more options now, but, um, you know, as, especially for these characters who are millennials, like that can get very scary, you know, and, and that fear can really stop us. Hinder us, even though those fears are very natural. Um, and so I really, um, kind of took a lot from my own life and, and, and the phase of adulthood that I find myself in, you know, um, these conversations that I've had with.

8:03Andy: My boyfriend about marriage and about having children, you know, and use them as, um, you know, kind of the guiding light in, um, you know, telling this nuanced story about queer family building.

8:18KT: Yeah. And I, I guess even regards to the families, like, it's been great hearing you, um, in interviews and in one particular interview you talked about how you hope at some point watching, um, The Wedding Banquet be like, oh, this is so outdated. You know what I mean? Like in regards to acceptance in families. And, you know, there was a moment where you're like, oh, actually that's quite, it's, it's sad that this will hit and it will relate. It's good to have it, but hopefully at some point. You know, and there are lighter moments in the film that touches on that, like I guess.

8:51KT: Like, I love you, I don't understand you, or I never understood you, and we need to, or we won't address it. There's a lot of that complexity, which is important to have, but again, hopefully, you know, baby gays and everyone in the future won't need to hold onto it with that much, um, resonance, I guess. Um, but I guess speaking about that side of families, cultural elements or you know, people in our lives that like. They mean well, they just be doing too much. Like there's a particular character. I don't wanna spoil it in The Wedding Banquet that, uh, just a bit doing so much. Is it, is it a catharsis? Or sometimes it feels like you're hitting too close to the nerve in, you know, 'cause the, the only way you lead is with heart, and that's very clear in The Wedding Banquet, but I, I guess sometimes it might feel a bit too close because there Yeah.

9:44Andy: You know, I'll, I'll, I'll say that. Um. I'll say that I did want this film to, um, you know, to, to, uh, have a message of hope and optimism. Um, uh, that for me as a filmmaker feels like the most responsible thing to do. Um, um, you know, when people watch films, they, they get very vulnerable with them, and I didn't wanna, you know. I didn't wanna take advantage of that. I, I really wanted to give the audience a gift, you know, and, and the film is definitely, uh, um, kind of wish fulfillment for me and, and kind of what I want in my life. Um, just thinking about, you know, um, kind of queer family building. Um, you know, I, I think that, um, there's definitely a balance in every film, right?

10:41Andy: You're kind of. Showing kinda what the world looks like today, but then also trying to create a version of the future that we, that we want. And um, and that was something, uh, that I kind of balanced in this film that I hope is, is really, um, you know, meaningful for people. Uh, and then hopefully, yeah, one day feels kind of dated, but you know, like. If my film feels dated soon, then like it means, you know, good things are happening for queer people and I'm very happy about that.

11:18KT: But the relationships are timeless also, um, in The Wedding Banquet. So there's definitely a lot to love and to enjoy. And there is a particular scene that I just want to like lightly touch on, and it's to keep up. You've mentioned it a bit, so I, I won't go deeper than what you've mentioned, but it has been mentioned. Um, of a ruse, uh, in the film and it essentially, um, involves de queering the space. And speaking of allies that mean well, but they're doing too much and sometimes they're annoying. I couldn't help but notice a piece of queer literature.

11:53KT: That we have in our own household. I'm like, I was always annoying, but I'm now I'm gonna be more annoying. Um, but I would, I would love to, um, it's a bit of a cute question, but I guess for allies, um, what is a piece of queer literature that you think everyone should have in their household, whether it's a book or a film, or a piece of music, or also audio listeners. I'm holding Elliot Page's Pageboy. This is in the film, but is there a, um, a queer piece of literature, a book, a film, um, or a, any sort of music that you recommend everyone should have in their household?

12:32Andy: That's such a good question. There's so many, you know, um, um, you know, I'll, I, I'll say maybe this is a bit of a cop out, but I do think that people should watch Ang Lee's The Wedding Banquet because, um, the three dimen, the three dimensionality of those characters, um, you know, um, I think really, uh. You know, it, it, it shows a, a humanity, um, that is very, um, beautiful and moving and startling. Um, and I feel like even folks who aren't queer or, you know, folks who maybe aren't so friendly to, you know, have queer people that you can't deny that these people love each other and, and should be together.

13:24KT: Absolutely. And you know, it's, this is kind of a twofold because usually I don't, um, usually this is the last question, but I guess you get a double um, answer. Okay. But, um, I wanna thank you so much for your time. You always interview so well, and I also appreciate you digging so deep in, you know, getting to that space with me. As well today. Um, but we finish off our reviews with a recommendation. So what would you pair with, and I guess you can use the same answer or you can have an extra recommendation, but what would you pair with The Wedding Banquet as a double feature?

14:00Andy: Ooh, yes. Um, I will, I will choose something else just because I love being able to talk about other things. Um, but um, uh, for eagle-eyed viewers of, you know, the. Modern version of The Wedding Banquet today. Um, a Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Céline Sciamma. Um, what an incredible film. Um, it's one of my favorites and um, I think is is something that, um, you know, everybody should watch.

14:31KT: That's a fire mic drop. 'cause one of my questions was yearning and we didn't even get to talk about that, but. Let's have a double year yearning. Yeah. I absolutely love it. Andrew, thank you so much for your time.

14:43Andy: Yeah, thank you.

14:44KT: Thank you.