Frank Sun‘s short film “We Are Kings” takes place in the era of slow dial-up Internet, as we are introduced to mischievous high schoolers Lin and Walid blowing off steam in a near-empty Chinese restaurant where Lin’s mother works. Here, the kings travel the high seas, mostly pirating copies of erotic movies they then sell for a quick buck. Meanwhile, a story of young love unfolds, with Lin also downloading some Hollywood flicks for Amber, a classmate whom he awkwardly gawks at and pines for from afar.
After an amusing start, wherein the pirated file of the erotic fantasy “Dream Quest” threatens to play out loud in the quiet restaurant, “We Are Kings” effortlessly transitions into more complex territory. It highlights xenophobia and class divide via interactions between Lin (Kenny Ridwan) and his White classmate (Caleb Elias-Reyes), who spouts microaggresions that reduce Lin’s mother’s identity to just a server at a Chinese restaurant. Lin is the son of a working-class Asian immigrant attempting to adapt a more Westernised identity. Another scene of Lin hiding under a table at the restaurant can also be interpreted as a sign of the teen being ashamed of his culture. He’s not only hiding from the restaurant’s invisible owner/boss but also from the very visible discriminatory and reductive attitudes towards his community in his adoptive country.
A Look at Internalized Racism
Within the run-time of 12 minutes, “We Are Kings” also serves as a nuanced exploration of this character’s internalised racism through subtle actions such as him treating his own mother as an employee to escape embarrassment. He’s also complicated. His bond with his equally-dorky best friend Walid (Mahi Alam) and their common penchant for pirating is wholesome to watch and champions for unity among minorities (in this case, the Asian American community and South Asian diaspora residing in the States). However later Lin also acts indifferent and turns his back on the latter.
The backdrop of a restaurant that serves traditional Chinese cuisine (except for Peking duck) too plays a central role. It shines light upon the culinary divide and the expectations heaped upon the Asian community to cater to or accommodate primarily Western tastes and traits. An instance of this is witnessed through a server politely suggesting the kids’ menu to a customer who orders a burger. The concluding scene of Lin requesting his mother to pack a takeaway of beef noodle soup for himself is in fact an antidote to the aforementioned tone-deaf demands of the arrogant customer. It’s also a gesture that cements Lin’s return to his roots, a new appreciation for his own culture, and a yearning for home cooking once more.
Yvonne Chen Stands Out
Kenny Ridwan, Jade Spear, and Mahi Alam (as Lin, Amber and Walid, respectively) offer natural performances, but it is Yvonne Chen—who stands out and speaks with her silences as the all-bearing mum who patiently waits on a son who is gradually coming of age amidst a cultural identity crisis—is the film’s star.
Ultimately, “We Are Kings” needs to be lauded for its sharp critique of the boxes within which many working-class immigrants feel suffocated/imprisoned. In the process, it also provokes the audience to ruminate over and diversify their overly minuscule world view on race and culture.
*We Are Kings will be making its world premiere at Tribeca Film Festival on Sunday, June 8th at 5:30 PM at the Shorts Theatre at Spring Studios as part of the festival’s “Floating Roots” category.
