All That We Love

Following the death of the family dog, Emma Gwon (Margaret Cho) is faced with an empty nest and is compelled to forge deeper connections with the people around her. Despite good intentions, her midlife awakening makes everything more chaotic for everyone in her path. This includes her estranged ex-husband Andy (Kenneth Choi), who has returned from Singapore after his career implodes and he’s forced to moved in with his sister Raven (Atsuko Okatsuka); their free-spirited daughter Maggie (Alice Lee), who’s relocating to Australia with her boyfriend (Devon Bostick) without Emma’s approval; her best friend Stan (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), who’s also experienced a loss and is expressing his grief through a lifestyle makeover; and her work colleague Kayla (Missi Pyle), who fosters animals and may just have a four-legged friend to soothe Emma’s woes.

All That We Love is a heartfelt and poignant depiction of grief and what it means to start anew. Through richly drawn characters, the film gently blends sorrow with insightful humor in its exploration of themes that are universal to all of us: aging, friendship, parenthood, mortality, past loves, second chances, and the profound connection with our pets.

Directed by Yen Tan
Produced by Jonathan Duffy, Kelly Williams, Rebecca Green, Tim Headington, and Theresa Steele Page

Director’s Bio: Yen Tan is an award-winning Chinese American writer and director. He premiered 1985 at SXSW 2018, a GLAAD-nominated and critically-acclaimed New York Times Critic’s Pick feature starring Cory Michael Smith, Virginia Madsen, Michael Chiklis, and Jamie Chung. His previous film, Pit Stop, premiered at Sundance 2013 and was nominated for the John Cassavetes Award at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Yen co-directed Until We Could with David Lowery, an Addy-winning PSA for Freedom to Marry that was narrated by Robin Wright and Ben Foster. He was named an OUT100 by Out Magazine. Yen was born and raised in Malaysia and is presently based in Austin.

Our opening night film will be followed by the Reflection Gala.

The Reflection Gala is the opening night reception for the 17th annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and celebrates the vibrant contributions of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community of storytellers in Philadelphia and beyond. This elegant affair will take place on Thursday, November 7th at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, bringing together filmmakers, artists, community leaders, and supporters for a night of reflection, celebration, and unity.

As PAAFF reflects on 17 years of growth, advocacy, and storytelling, the Reflection Gala will serve as a moment to look ahead to the future, honoring the resilience, creativity, and unity of the AANHPI community.