Ang Lee’s film “The Wedding Banquet” was the first gay movie filmmaker Andrew Ahn ever saw. He feels fortunate that one of the lead characters in the film was a queer man and also Asian, a representation that has stuck with him through the years.
Now, Ahn has directed a modern version of the 1993 classic.
“I might not have realized it at the time, but it has inspired me constantly,” Ahn said. “As I watched it again for this adaptation, it inspired so many thoughts about getting married and having kids and conversations I am having with my boyfriend. I felt very motivated to make this film.”
Now in theaters, the new “The Wedding Banquet” is co-written by Ahn and screenwriter James Schamus, who also co-penned the original. In the film, Min (Han Gi-Chan) is a Korean gay man living in Seattle, upset that his boyfriend Chris (Bowen Yang) will not marry him. They live in the guest house of their best friends, lesbian couple Lee (Lily Gladstone) and Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), who are trying to have a baby.
When he realizes his student visa is almost up and he might have to go back to Korea, Min has an idea – he and Angela can marry to get a green card, and in return he can pay for Lee’s IVF treatments. Obviously there are some complications. The cast also includes Joan Chen as Angela’s mother and Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jung as Min’s grandmother.
Ahn, Gladstone and Tran recently spoke to Georgia Voice about the making of “The Wedding Banquet.” One of the appeals for Gladstone (who uses she/they pronouns) was the realization of the modern-day touches.
“There is this built-in sort of hesitancy or skepticism people have when they hear ‘remake,’” Gladstone said. “This felt like such a re-imagining. It stands on its own. One of the things that really stood out to me when Andrew first approached me was that James stayed on as a writer. It was immediately obvious the cultural impact and importance the [original] film had. After reading Andrew’s script first and then watching the film, [I thought] – what a brilliant way of preserving what was great about the original, making it something unique and updating the conversation on all levels.”
Tran met Gladstone on the day of their first scene together, but the two were easily able to generate a lot of chemistry.
“I think that says a lot about Andrew’s ability to cultivate community and the ability for actors to be comfortable on set,” Tran said. “People have said this to us – [Lee and Angela’s relationship] feels lived in and there is a history there. It was so easy to find my little nook with Lily’s shoulder. I’m grateful to have spent time with [her] – she has taught me so much as an actress and as a person helping to cultivate the environment. [They also have an] uncanny ability to be authentic and honest at every moment.”
This was Tran’s first experience working on a set that was primarily queer. There was a recognition from everyone involved of how rare and special that was.
“We as a cast and so many crew members said we get to explore and celebrate this part of our identity, and that doesn’t happen that often,” Tran said. “We were all aware of that. It felt like making the film was like having a warm hug and I think it shows when you watch it.”
At such an uncertain time politically for LGBQT+ individuals, all three artists feel that now is a welcome time for the film.
“I wished we lived in better times,” Ahn said. “I am thankful our film can provide a moment for people to let their walls down and be vulnerable so they can fill themselves up and heal and go out to the greater world with more tools and more inspiration to protect those we love. Film and art is really great and inspiring and we still need to take that next step. So much of this film is about stewardship and making the world a better place for the next generation. I hope this film can help inspire that stewardship.”
Gladstone agreed with Ahn’s comments.
“Joy is resistance,” they said. “[For] so much of folks finding themselves new to the front lines of picketing and protesting, and there is reason to do that now, the fatigue of that is very real.”
For the film, Gladstone chose to make her character Duwamish, a tribe of the original inhabitants of Seattle who have been denied federal recognition for decades. She recognizes the tribe’s frustration on feeling that their existence depends on who is in office.
“We didn’t intend for our film to be a dose of good medicine for folks fatigued in fighting just for their right to exist, but you need that,” Gladstone said. “I think that is the way we all win in the end. We don’t apologize for our existence. We celebrate who we are and each other and affirm and uplift each together, despite what any large entity is trying to say about who we are. We remain – and we are here.”
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