History was made at the 95th Academy Awards held on March 12 in Los Angeles. For the first time in the history of the Oscars, Asian actors, actresses, directors, producers, scriptwriters, and songwriters received global recognition for their talent in front of the camera, not just behind it.
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once swept the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. For many in the community, it was especially meaningful to witness the critical and mainstream acclaim for a story centered around an immigrant Asian American family on the world's biggest storytelling stage. We saw our own experiences reflected in this film: the struggles, the regrets, and the misunderstandings that often happen between generations and cultures.
The speeches from Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and other EEAAO winners were uplifting and heartfelt. We were especially moved by what Director Daniel Kwan said to his son when he accepted the Best Director award alongside his directing partner, Daniel Scheinert.
“My incredible son, Gio, you rearrange my DNA every day and it’s awful and beautiful every single time. If you ever watch this, I hope you know that you should never live up to this standard; this is not normal, this is kind of crazy. I will love you no matter what.”
At LingoAce, we understand his message both deeply and personally. Many of our parents, students and employees are immigrants or grew up in immigrant families. In many ways, the sacrifices that parents make are an unsaid expression of love for their children. But it often comes with an overwhelming pressure to succeed. Some will accomplish what we hope they will. Some will find their own path. It’s important to remind them along the way that you’ll love them, no matter what.
Earlier in his speech, Daniel Kwan described how his parents inspired and supported him: “We are all products of our context, we are all descendants of something and someone and I want to acknowledge my immigrant parents, my father who fell in love with movies because he needed to escape the world and thus passed that love of movies on to me. My mother who is a creative soul who wanted to be a dancer, actor, singer but couldn’t afford the luxury of that life path then gave it to me.”
Many parents of young children are filled with so much hope for their future. We do our best to give them the best we can. Immigrating to another country, moving to good school districts, looking for ways to help them become fluent in multiple languages, chauffeuring them to endless STEM classes, dance lessons and sports: the list goes on. We want to unlock their potential and open a world of opportunities for them.
