Where is the American dream bred? In the heart or in the head? Director-Writer Ziyu Luo’s “American Daydream” is a classic ode to the idea of the American dream and our pursuit of it. Is the “American Dream” an unreachable goal, or something that we each have within us, personally? Recently having its world premiere at the HollyShorts Film Festival, “American Daydream” is a brilliant beautiful short drama comedy that explores ideas about immigration, assimilation and Americanization.
A Chinese – American resident doctor torn between chasing her love of acting in Los Angeles and abandoning her undocumented mother in Chinatown, who has always relied heavily on her to get through life in the U.S. Our main character Chen Hui has finally obtained her citizenship and has spent her better years trying to earn it. Now that she’s earned it, she begins to wonder if the “American Dream” is even a dream she wants to have.
In the small time span, Ziyu Luo offers a healthy and entertaining look at a mother and daughter split apart from their version of the American dream and how their renewed freedom might not be something Marilyn wants after all. The mid-way dinner scene with Chen (star Yan Cui is absolutely fantastic) and daughter Marilyn and friends is a clear-cut indication of what she wants to be, to why desperately wants to be. The centerpiece of the film is the dinner scene as Chen learns a lot more about her life as an undocumented immigrant in America than she ever knew.
The moment that truth comes crashing down, she begins to ponder on the whole idea of her ambition and what it has meant toward her daughter. Is it great she’s inspired her daughter to pursue her own idea of fulfillment, or is it a curse? Is Marilyn wrong for seeking some sense of acceptance among other people, or is she betraying her culture? Luo’s film is so delicately and elegantly directed with gorgeous scenes teeming with symbolism. Ziyu Luo relies a lot on imagery to fill in the holes considering “American Daydream” is barely twenty minutes, and it’s a rousing success. I would love a feature film version of this somewhere down the line.