Chopstick

Director - Leah Xiuzhen Rathe

Leah Xiuzhen Rathe is an Asian-American filmmaker who resides in Northern Minnesota. She was adopted from China and raised in the US. She is very passionate about the impact of film, especially as a connecting force to understand different perspectives and representation. While growing up, seeing people who looked like her in film or on TV, made her feel like she could have a place in this world. She wants to contribute to making that space larger and more accessible, especially for transracial adoptees.

Director Statement

"CHOPSTICK" is a short film based on my experiences growing up in America as a Chinese transracial adoptee (an adoptee of one race adopted into a family of a different race). The idea of the chopstick and fork characters was based on experiences at restaurants when I would receive chopsticks, while my white friends would receive forks. This film is about a journey of identity, connection, and acceptance.