Tender Ears

Tender Ears (2022) is an intimate and relatable short film that follows Jen, a second-generation Chinese American woman who heads home for a quick visit. What she expects to be a routine family stop becomes a quiet emotional reckoning as she faces the cultural expectations and unspoken frustrations that shape her relationship with her immigrant mother.

The film beautifully captures the push-and-pull of identity, the pressure to honor tradition, and the tenderness that sits beneath every disagreement. Through moments built around food, memory, and small misunderstandings, Tender Ears shows how families try — sometimes imperfectly — to bridge the gaps between generations. It’s gentle, warm, and deeply human.