Grounded

William and McKenzie get engaged – but with a condition. William has to finally introduce his longtime girlfriend to his Chinese-Filipino parents. They decide to do the meet and greet over lunch at his parents’ home. Simple. Except his parents don’t know he’s been dating a white woman for the past three years. Unsurprisingly, the day doesn’t go over so well: McKenzie doesn’t take her shoes off in the house, William’s mom made only meat dishes even though McKenzie is vegetarian, and to the parents’ horror, Mac does not work a “real” job – she teaches yoga while pursuing her dreams to become a dancer on Broadway.

But then the universe intervenes. In a Groundhog Day scenario, right when the family meeting collapses, William and McKenzie reawaken to the car ride to the parents’ home. They’re blessed with unlimited do-overs. Unfortunately, they may be stuck in racist parent hell. Fortunately, they have infinite chances to reflect on what it truly means to earn parents’ approval and what it means to love authentically.

The feature debut of editor Justin Chan (Farewell Amor), GROUNDED finds a clever and endlessly entertaining way to probe cultural and generational differences, patriarchal condescension, and —*gasp*—the idea that parents are, in fact, people.

– Wilda Wong

Co-Presented by the Chinese School of San Diego.