28 My Beauty Queen Mom Taiwan Comedy / Drama / HD / Mandarin / 90 mins YU Sen-I Director: YU Sen-I Producer: Rachel Chen HAF Goals: Funds, Co-producers Budget: US$750,000 Secured Budget: US$10,000 Director’s Filmography: First Feature Director A selfless housewife, suffering from an acute anxiety disorder, joins a beauty pageant in the hope of rediscovering herself. Will it fulfill her or send her tumbling over the edge? Synopsis among the instructors, whom will also serve as judges at the pageant. One day May argues with Jean, the runway coach, over the integrity of selling contour bras to the contestants, but no one takes her side. Reluctantly, May meets with psychiatrist, Dr. Jian. He prescribes medication and demands weekly psychotherapy for May. May looks into the source of her depression and realises something is missing from her life. In the heat of the moment, May quits the bootcamp. She finds Tony and confides in the young hairstylist. Wen finds out about Tony and quarrels with May. She tells Wen that she has not been happy with him. Wen moves to a hotel. May discovers the “Taipei Beauty Mom” pageant. She is intrigued. After consulting with Dr. Jian and husband, Wen, she excitedly enrolls in the pageant. She takes classes in the beauty bootcamp with fellow contestants – working moms and rich housewives. May’s daughters are urged by their grandmother, to go home and help solve this conflict. After a session with Dr. Jian, the daughters come to understand May’s illness and decide to help her become the beauty queen. To her family’s surprise, May makes progress – the pain subsides and there’s no more crying at night. She is popular among the contestants and her dedication to learn at the bootcamp makes her a pageant champion hopeful. As the competition approaches, rivalries form between contestants and they fight for favour The “Taipei Beauty Mom” pageant is festive, but chaotic. Except for a few minor mishaps, May performs well. However, at the awards ceremony, May does not win anything, not even a consolation prize. Grandma jumps on stage, accusing the judges of bias. May leaves the pageant sadly, but is surrounded by supportive family members, including Wen. May realises that she is finally happy, but wonders: could she win the pageant next year? A few years ago, when SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK came out, I watched with great interest. Of course, the story is very entertaining, but I had special fascination with the main characters’ courage and struggle to live/cope with mental illness. I felt motivated to tell a story that I have a personal connection to. I witnessed one of my family members battled mental illness when I was a child. I was moved by this person’s quiet dignity, and fascinated by her unexpected challenges: she is the inspiration for this film, My Beauty Queen Mom. The movie centres on May, a loving, selfless housewife who suffers from an acute anxiety disorder and joins a beauty pageant in the hope of rediscovering herself. It is a comedy-drama that explores mental health issues, family relationships, marriage and a woman’s sense of self. The main character, May, is a naive, passionate woman, who bravely takes a chance on herself at age 46, refusing to be forgotten in marriage. Her decision to join the pageant may seem ridiculous, but her spirit is admirable. She is looking for a sense of self and victory: she wants to be seen, not hidden away at home. I think the beauty pageant is a fun writing choice, as it is the place where May’s character encounters major challenges. Also, the fierce competition among contestants creates an opportunity for satirical humor. Win or lose, May gains the love and support from her family. The question is: will she find what she’s looking for? Director Producer Rachel CHEN Rachel CHEN is a producer, talent agent and managing director of We Share Entertainment and Touch of Light Films. She worked as film journalist and editor from 1989 to 2003. She co-produced The Touch of the Light (2012) the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film in the Academy Awards. In 2007, Rachel co-produced the film Miao Miao (2007). Production Companies We Share Entertainment Established in 2011 by Rachel CHEN, We Share Entertainment produces high quality films and videos that has gained both artistic and commercial successes. The company aims to team up with talents and artists in Taiwan, and to produce Chinese language films with a new vision as in the Cannes Film Festival, Directors’ Fortnight “Taipei Factory” series: Mr. Chang’s New Address (directed by CHANG Jung-Chi). Spring Bear Productions Founded in 2001, Spring Bear Productions is filmmaker Sen-I Yu’s production company. Projects include award-winning short films Acupuncture Girl (2002), Under The Willow Tree (2005), and most recently Milk (2015). Spring Bear is developing a feature-length comedy-drama entitled My Beauty Queen Mom. YU Sen-I Sen-I is a Taiwanese writer/director, currently based in New York. She received her MFA in directing from NYU in 2004. Sen-I has written and directed a wide range of film projects. Her short film Acupuncture Girl was a Student Academy Award regional finalist and Wasserman Award Semi-finalist for best picture (director). She received merit award from Taipei’s Golden Harvest Short Film Festival and numerous film grants, such as Warner Brother’s Production Fund, Sara Driver Post-Production Grant and Taiwan’s National Cultural Foundation Production Grant. Sen-I has recently completed short film Milk, and is developing her feature film, My Beauty Queen Mom, which won a Screenplay Development Grant from Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture in 2014. Contact YU Sen-I Spring Bear Productions 61 Hancock Street, Suite #3, Brooklyn, NY 11216, USA Tel: +1-9179690845 Email: [email protected] Rachel CHEN We Share Entertainment 7F-2, No. 259, Section 1, Fuxing South Rd, Daan District, Taiwan Tel: 886-2-27387077 Email: [email protected] HONG KONG - ASIA FILM FINANCING FORUM 2015 HONG KONG - ASIA FILM FINANCING FORUM 2015 106 Forty-six-year-old housewife, May, feels pain all over her body. She suffers from somatization disorder, an anxiety-related illness that causes actual pain. She cries all night and seeks medical help. There’s nothing physically wrong with her. Director’s Statement 107