A Slate Of Recent Films Offers New Portrayals Of Asian, Not Tiger, Mothers

Films like Always Be my Maybe, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Farewell, and Searching create new images for larger mass consumption. “In these complex films, Asian American mothers are transmitters of domesticity, culture, and care, and their tragic deaths leave behind relatives who are struggling to find themselves in their absence. It’s a new and different kind of familial negotiation for Asian American families. On many shows, including All American Girl and Fresh off the Boat, Asian mothers are immigrants whose accents and domineering personalities are played for comedic relief.” – Bitch