一家之主”：女性，母性，依属&自主 "Reclaim": Womanhood, Motherhood, and In/Dependence - Movie Screening and Discussion with KAN-WIN

“一家之主” ("Reclaim") follows a woman who has lived her life for others—her husband, children, and parents. The film depicts the traditional gender roles commonly embedded in Asian households, ones that concentrate pressure and unequal power on Asian women and mothers. 

 

On May 25th, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art hosted “一家之主”：女性，母性，依属&自主 "Reclaim": Womanhood, Motherhood, and In/Dependence, a two-part event in collaboration with KAN-WIN, an organization dedicated to eradicating gender-based violence in Asian American communities and beyond. In the first part, “一家之主” (“Reclaim”) was screened and guests, organizers, and museum staff alike shared the experience of watching the film and main character Ye Lan Xin’s life play out. 

 

Following the screening, KAN-WIN organizers facilitated a discussion and exploration of the film and its messages and themes with attendees. The discussion was divided into Mandarin-speaking groups and English-speaking groups. Attendees drew comparisons between the film and their own lives, families, and experiences, helping to generate a thoughtful discussion that crossed cultural and generational divides. 

In the Mandarin-speaking groups, participants from different generations shared their backgrounds and experiences, highlighting the contrasts between Western and Eastern cultures. In the English-speaking groups, native Asians and individuals unfamiliar with Asian culture had an engaging discussion about cultural differences. 

 

Thank you to KAN-WIN and all participants for the May 25th screening of “一家之主” (“Reclaim”)! Everyone at the Heritage Museum, from guests to staff, greatly enjoyed watching and discussing the film. We received a lot of valuable feedback and genuine comments. The work KAN-WIN does to address gender-based violence in multicultural Asian American communities and beyond is incredibly important, and we are glad to be among the supporters.