‘Confetti’ Illuminates The Immigrant Experience With A Mother-Daughter Story

Confetti is a semi-autobiographical film from writer and director Ann Hu that makes its debut in the United States this August. This film marks Hu’s third feature project. Her first film, Shadow Magic (2000), which won the Chinese Academy Award and Presidential Award for Best Film in China. Hu’s second film, Beauty Remains, released internationally by Emerging Pictures, was a box office hit in China.

Confetti examines Hu’s struggles leaving China for America in search of a better education for her dyslexic daughter. Hu herself came to the United States in 1979 and, after receiving a degree in Business Administration from New York University, achieved a high level of success in the field until deciding to switch paths and become a filmmaker. In 1992, Hu returned to New York University, this time to study film.

Written in collaboration with American screenwriter Josh Fagin, Confetti begins with a family in rural China whose seven-year-old daughter, Meimei (Harmonie He), struggles with a learning disability, and being ostracized at school. In a desperate effort to “normalize” her, Meimei’s mother, Lan (Zhu Zhu), takes her to New York City, despite barely speaking a word of English. A friend of Meimei’s teacher in China, Helen (Amy Irving), begrudgingly provides housing for the family as she tries to focus on her writing. Ultimately, all three women find connection and personal healing in unpredictable ways during their time together.

Confetti also addresses the challenges of navigating the immigration system. Lan is forced to work an under-the-table job as a seamstress, and Meimei’s status as a visiting immigrant affects her chances of receiving the special education she needs.

I spoke to Hu about what she hopes audiences, including her own daughter, will take away from Confetti. We also spoke about her transition from the corporate world to the world of filmmaking and how the two careers have informed each other.

Risa Sarachan: What made you want to create this film? 

Ann Hu: I became a mother 15 years ago, thus began the most blessed years of my life. Watching Michelle growing up was my ultimate joy every day. She never failed to wow me. When she was three-years-old, her English teacher told me that she suspected that Michelle had dyslexia. [I’d never] heard of it. I researched over the internet and didn’t find any information that would give me a concrete understanding of dyslexia. How far would a mother go to revert the fate of her child? The journey of it became the inspiration of Confetti.

Sarachan: How does the film differ from your personal story? What elements were added to the film?

Hu: The story is about an illiterate Chinese woman who gives up everything to venture to the United States in an attempt to find a cure for her daughter’s dyslexia. I am blessed that I am not illiterate, but I do understand that many parents of dyslexic children suffered the same condition for centuries. I was born and raised in Beijing, China, and came to this county in 1979 as one of the earliest students right after the Cultural Revolution. I spent years working full time of odd jobs to support myself as a full-time student through college. My experience as an immigrant has never stopped. That is why I feel I didn’t have to emphasize Lan’s immigrant struggle in the film, but it is already all over the place and super obvious to the audience. As a mother trying to find a “cure” and the right school for her daughter, I experienced everything Lan experienced in the film, including the most ignorant and obsessed determination. 

Sarachan: Before going into filmmaking, you were in the investment world. What caused you to make the switch? Do you find it helpful to apply your knowledge from the corporate world to your filmmaking?

Hu: Yes, I was riding high in the corporate world, but everything changed when I met my first filmmaker friend Chen Kai Ge in a gallery opening in NYC, 1988. With a few films under his belt, Chen eventually got his Palme d’Or from Cannes; and was then a young passionate, inspiring film director from Beijing. Watching him trying to raise money to do his projects, repeatedly pitching to potential investors about how he would want the story told, my fascination grew out of proportion. Gradually, the film was no longer a far-away dream to me but a concrete reality that could be accomplished through productions. What was more, I didn’t see anything Chen could do that I couldn’t. At least, that was what I believed.

I love to write, and to write visually was an inspiring idea! In addition, my experience and knowledge in the business world would help me with the fundraising, production, and marketing work involved – which did turn out to be extremely helpful in all the projects I did afterwards. I could no longer sit still at my desk at work as my imagination went wild with all sorts of crazy film ideas; I don’t hate money, but I didn’t go through all the ups and downs in life to just become a money machine. Eventually, I quit my job —-it felt like jumping off the cliff. I went back to NYU—film school this time I wrote a few pages of the script, and I did my first short film. Today, I am still a struggling, happy filmmaker.

Sarachan: It seems your films often explore the idea of what true success is. Have your thoughts on that changed since coming to America and eventually moving into the film industry?

Hu: While growing up, “to be successful” had always been part of my training, and it was the dominant mindset in all aspects of society. And today, I still see that “success” is the governing mind set in all societies around the world. But what is the standard?

My first film Shadow Magic was about how West met East and brought about birth of the first Chinese film. There was apparently a lot of me in it. Career, success, ambition, filmmaking, West meets East to bring about changes. This was the period of ambition. I was determined to show that the “West meets East” could become a genre as I would be a successful example of a hybrid, a bridge between two cultures. 

Shadow Magic was a success. It won me numerous awards and did great at the box office. But sadly, life took an unexpected turn. To my great surprise and dismay, my dream marriage fell apart and I was deeply hurt and disillusioned. Bearing the bitterness, I made a film Beauty Remains —-a quote from the painter Renoir when he was blind and in pain but still kept on painting. He said, “Beauty remains. Pain passes.”

The film tries to portray different stages in a woman’s emotional growth at different ages. But in the end only when I managed to let these women redeem themselves, and gave the film a hopeful ending, the story would come together. In working through the story telling, I found compassion in my heart and was liberated from the old bondage. It began to become clear to me, success could mean being able to forgive and let go.

At the time I was trying to make Confetti, my heart was consumed with unconditional love, a gift from journeying with my daughter. But filmmaking reality was so harsh, I soon realized that love alone would not make the day. Unless you fought like a tiger, no one would believe you belonged here. Much has gone under the bridge now but looking back, still it was love and compassion that led me through the process. I used to think life is about becoming a high-valued diamond – that was what I wanted for my daughter and myself. That is what success meant to me. But now I feel I would be very happy that we are just apples that have juice and spread sweet smells. I will never be short of curiosity and a drive to discover. But I choose love and compassion to be my guiding standard for success, because if I choose love and kindness, I will always find happiness. I think it is so important to constantly “de-domesticate” oneself to be free to love and discover. 

Sarachan: When dealing with the subject of dyslexia, what did you want to make sure you got right when writing and directing Confetti?

Hu: The script development of Confetti went as easy as a breath of air. All the plots were there and I almost didn’t have to make up anything. There were plenty of details to choose from. But when making it, I thought long and hard about in what style that film should be told. I had to fight off the temptation to glorify or dramatize the experience, and I eventually decided that I should remain as authentic as possible. This meant I should avoid using elaborate sets and camera shots.

I believe the biggest challenge to any art form is to keep the technique as simple and unnoticeable as possible but the concept as strong and effective as one can. On the set, I had to eliminate anything that had colors, to keep our color theme Confetti more vibrant. Reduction. Reduction. Reduction in everything. I hope the film was effective in conveying its message: who wants to be normal? I hope the story was touching and will bring about awareness and positive changes.

Sarachan: What do you hope Confetti illuminates about the delicate relationship between mothers and daughters?

Hu: Confetti reflected my understanding that what mothers wanted for their children might not be the best choice for their children. 

Michelle is a beautiful teenager now, and made Headmaster List last year. But the challenge to me being her mom is intensified. Unlike the years when she was a kid and I was mostly in control, she is now totally independent, and critical thinking is the trademark of her generation. She would say no to everything I say. She has not watched Confetti yet. She will be at the film premier in New York, and I hope she will realize something after watching the film. I understand her as I was also young. I am sure that I was a royal pain to my parents. But now I love and respect them beyond description. I guess I should just wait patiently and watch Michelle making her own mistakes, and growing up. And I should try to be her friend at any cost. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Confetti will play in U.S. theatres beginning August 20th.