Firelight Chats Ep035 | I’m Not Chinese, B*tch w/Mian Mian Lu

In this episode of Firelight Chats, Mian Mian Lu burst like a typhoon into the Spacelab to chat about her first feature film, Mickey on the Road (迷走廣州), a coming-of-age story about two female protagonists. Mian Mian shares behind-the-scenes stories about her motivations for writing this story, particular scenes, casting, fundraising, being nominated for and attending the Golden Horse 2020 ceremony, being misunderstood, and the unique challenges of filming in both China and Taiwan.

The director also shares personal stories about growing up in Taiwan under martial law, studying Chinese opera theory in Taiwan, running off to NYC, living in Bushwick, her "I'm not Chinese, b*tch!" story, being a lone wolf at grad school, and living & working in Oregon as a new American. Mian Mian also gives a sneak peak into her next film and makes an open call to any writers & producers who might be interested in helping the project come to full fruition.

Mian Mian Lu is a Taipei-born, avant-garde film director who studied at the New York Film Academy and Taipei National University of the Arts. She currently lives in Eugene, Oregon with her American husband and has begun development on her forthcoming 2nd feature film, which will split filming between the United States and Taiwan.