Written and directed by Xiwen Miao, ‘Cha’ is a short drama film that explores anti-Asian abomination generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thomas B. Tran stars as Jiho, a young 2nd generation Korean-American man who fears for the safety of himself and his Korean immigrant grandma (Joy Sung Kim). The title stems from the Korean word for tea (albeit Romanized). Miao has created a powerful drama that not only delves into racism, but the appreciation of Korean culture – particularly the native tea. ‘Cha’ is partially in the Korean language (with English subtitles).
The 14-minute film opens with Jiho standing in melancholy. The next scene sees Jiho learning Korean from his grandma, whilst assisting her at their fruit-farm. When two customers arrive to buy fruit, they are disgusted to discover the farm owner is Asian and quickly leave, remarking – “Thanks for COVID.” As the threat towards them increases, through racist graffiti, hate mail and criminal damage, Jiho tries all he can to protect his unperturbed grandma. A deeply moving film that poignantly showcases racial ignorance and family kinship.
Visually, ‘Cha’ is gorgeously shot with outstanding cinematography by Trina Mulligan. The performances by Thomas B. Tran (Jiho) and Joy Sung Kim (Grandma) are highly praiseworthy and intensely captivating. Xiwen Miao and her cast/crew have delivered a heart-wrenching film that shines a light on a topical subject matter.
