MOTHERS are expected to be caretakers in family units. Due to familial and societal expectations, they are required to fulfil the role of a nurturing parent. But what happens when mothers defy what is expected of them?
Rather than solely fulfilling the responsibility of caring for their family, can mothers strive to realise their dreams,? This is Joey Lee Choi Kin’s dilemma in her first feature film My Parents’ Midlife Crisis. The 38-year-old director explores the complexity of family relationships and the desire for self-discovery during a midlife crisis.
Lee dives into this through three of the movie’s main characters – 13-year-old Velonica (Cheryl Foong), father David (Douglas Lim) and mother Sandra (Jojo Goh). Velonica, who helps run her family’s struggling motel, is caught between her conservative father and her discontented mother.
When Sandra inherits her late brother’s bike and unexpectedly wins a race, she develops an interest in cycling. This threatens David as Sandra devotes more time to her newfound hobby, upending their family dynamics.
This leaves Velonica and David to decide whether they will support Sandra’s new passion or fight to ensure she fulfils her motherly duties.
Lived experiences
Lee crafted the story based on her personal journey through divorce, parenting and her brother’s career as a cyclist.
“My brother is a cyclist who quit his job at 35. He self-trained and participated in various championships, representing Malaysia. He, however, gets injured a lot and pays quite a bit to go overseas. He also brings his family with him.
“Despite the cost, he told me it was worth it because of the experience. I found it so inspiring. Combining my personal story and his, I made this film,” Lee told theSun.
Seamless casting
Finding the right actors for the roles was a smooth process for Lee. From pre-production, the Seremban native knew she wanted Lim to be the father as she liked his personality.
“He was already someone I envisioned when I crafted the character. He was my only selection because I like his personality. So I emailed him to ask if he was interested. Fortunately, he liked the story and character. It was also his first feature as a main character.”
After getting Lim on board, she then focused on casting the right actress to act alongside him as the mother. She needed someone who had the charisma, stubbornness and determination of a discontented mother.
Despite not being able to cycle initially, Goh embodied the essence of her character. She was able to see beyond what was expected of her, adding new life and depth to the character of Sandra.
It was the casting of Foong that surprised Lee the most. The director had only written Cheryl to be a minor character. But upon meeting Foong at the audition, Lee was blown away by her ability to cry on the spot.
“I gave her a pizza and I asked her to imagine it as her birthday cake. But I told her her parents were fighting, asking her: ‘What would you do?’
“She immediately sang the birthday song mournfully before crying. My team and I were all stunned and impressed. So much so, we switched her from a minor character to one of the main characters.”
Also, Foong’s resemblance to Lim and Goh were instrumental in landing her the character of Cheryl. According to Lee, she has a combination of her screen parents’ facial features.
Financial strains
The casting may have been smooth sailing, but the process of finalising the film has been tough. While she has funds from Finas (National Film Development Corp of Malaysia), film company ARRI and support from her production company Passionate World, Lee still lacks funds to market the film to audiences.
“Without good marketing, a good film will die. I require RM300,000. The money will be allocated for social marketing. I plan to have a campaign to raise awareness for the film. And of course, for cinema marketing, have it released in local theatres.”
On when she aimed to release it, Lee expressed hope for it to be screened during next year’s Chinese New Year.
“Hopefully, it will be released in the first quarter of next year. My target is during next year’s
Chinese New Year,” shared Lee enthusiastically.
New perspective on family
When it is screened, Lee wished for audiences to take home a more introspective and complete meaning of family.
“I hope it redefines the term ‘family’ because many view family as a restriction. They think it is all about commitment and responsibilities. So, I hope for audiences to view family as a support system that they can rely on.
“I also hope to redefine the role of mothers. Rather than just being caretakers, I aim to show that mothers can go after their passion too. They can inspire others to follow their dreams.”
As for plans for a follow-up after My Parents’ Midlife Crisis, Lee strives to dabble in comedy for a change.
“I just want to do something crazy and fun. With My Parents’ Midlife Crisis, I modelled a high production value, prioritising
high-quality visuals, meticulous planning and a polished final product. So, for my next film, I want to write a crazier and fun storyline,” she said.