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Wendi Tang
Films are not simply entertainment. When created by talented and insightful professionals, they offer the ability to glimpse the very soul of those other than ourselves. Films may in fact be the greatest conduit of empathy known to mankind. Filmmakers like Wendi Tang perceive the great potential of the medium to bring about this emotional enlightenment. As producer/writer/director of Janet, Ms. Tang wanted to display the complexity that is one of the world’s most important yet common relationships. She describes, “I’ve always been trying to understand my mom and other middle-aged women in society, their anxiety, vulnerability, persistence, and unique understandings of love. The perception of love is confusing, and the mistakes the idea of love can create are way more profound than we could anticipate. The intricate relationships between women, especially between a mother and a daughter, have always been fascinating. The cross-generational relationship entails a power dynamic and a balance that we are not brave enough to admit most of the time. The moment we start to question and challenge the idea of love, we understand that some broken things will stay broken, and we can only move on.” Janet is a film that strikes at the very core of how these different female generations relate and evolve into each other’s roles. A plethora of awards confirms the importance of Janet including: Award of Excellence (Canada Shorts Film Festival), Best Director (Boden International Film Festival – Sweden), Best Women Short (Independent Shorts Awards), and others.
Wendi Tang on set during the filming of Janet.jpeg
Janet is a film about the relationship between a mother and daughter who disagree strongly in their views of sexuality. In a subject matter as evergreen as this, it’s the way that the filmmaker tells the story that makes it unique. A rebellious daughter and a middle aged mother with different perspectives can be found in many films but Ms. Tang’s decision to take the vantage of the mother, coupled with her insight, show a complexity and maturity that differs from the vast majority of films which investigate such a relationship. Wendi communicates, “I hope to encourage the audience to be more aware of middle-aged women and their struggles, understand their enormous societal burdens, and be more compassionate to this group of mothers and wives. Through this film, I wanted to show the strengths, flaws, and vulnerability of two generations of women and their distinct yet related perceptions about love and family. I hope the audience can shift their perspective as I did in the film, trying to understand the other person in a relationship.”