DIRECTOR STATEMENT
Torn Together is a personal project five years in the making. What started as a solo
project exploring my own struggles with my biracial identity, evolved into a collaborative
project with two amazing women creating the film that is Torn Together. I fell in
love with the experimental genre and its unique ability to explore concepts through
visuals and sound to capture specific emotions.
Torn Together at its core is about the real-life experiences that make three people
question who and what they are. All of the dialogue in this film, are real statements
that have been said to us or something we've said to ourselves. From the most simple
and innocuous comments to the heinous insults and slurs, each made us question our
identity. We are all lucky enough to have had something or someone that helped us
find our way. My hope for this film is that it can serve as a beacon of solidarity
for anyone struggling with their identity.
Frances Chang - co-writer and creator
Torn Together is about the inner struggle of finding your true identity. Being a part
of this project illustrates the conflict many first generation offspring of immigrants
face when trying to assimilate to the social norms of their peers while trying to
live up to the cultural expectations of their parents and family. It's deeply meaningful
to be able to create this film with my friends, Melissa and Ava, who have their own
individual conflicts with identity. By telling our stories, we are able to share our
unique struggles in a way that many others are able to relate to in their own journeys.
Ava Davis- co-writer and creator
Torn Together was incredibly healing to not only write but also to make with these
incredible women. For me, the importance lies in how we’re able to use film, and especially
the genre of horror, to tackle our own fears and traumas, and find a way to release
them. I feel like this short encapsulates so well the feeling I have of being torn
between my male and female identities, and energies, and so fully and succinctly showcases
the journey I’ve taken in self-realization.
JT Indie Film Fest. “Torn Together.” Accessed November 21, 2023. https://www.jimthorpeindiefilmfest.com/2023-films/torn-together.
