Let's Eat - Award Winning Animated Short Film

Let’s Eat is a 8 minute animated short film that centers on the relationship between a mother and daughter in a Chinese-American immigrant family. Let’s Eat strives to be a universal story told through a distinctly Asian-American voice.

As a single parent in an unfamiliar country, Ma’s entire life centers around raising Luan, her rambunctious young daughter. Likewise, Luan spends her childhood indulging in endless quality time with her playful, loving mother. However, as Luan grows up, it isn’t long before daily life interferes and causes mother and daughter to grow apart. By channeling their feelings into cooking, the two strive to find their way back to each other, one homemade meal at a time.

Ma and Luan’s tale touches upon mother-daughter relationships, the American immigrant experience, and the unspoken translation of love into food - familiar themes reflected through a fresh perspective often overlooked in mainstream media. We at Anamon Studios aim to share in our similarities as much as we celebrate our differences, and to this end we hope that Let’s Eat will resonate with audiences of all backgrounds and experiences.

@letseatshortfilm

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[blackenvier]

For those who want the lyrics:

(Verse 1)
I hold your laughter safe inside in my mind
Sweet moments captured so I can rewind
I’ll always have them so anywhere I fly
I know you’ll be by my side

(Verse 2)
You lift me up when I am feeling small
Up on your shoulders I become so tall
And though you raise me high above it all
I have no doubt that you’ll catch me if I fall

(Chorus 1)
You give me everything
You see the best in me
No matter where you go
You’ll come back home

(Verse 3)
I’m only learning to say what’s in my heart
So when you’re hurting I don’t know where to start
And though the words are often hard to find
We still have time to make things right

(Chorus 2)
You give me everything
You see the best in me
No matter where I go
I’ll come back home

[manzilatsuraiya]

it's a representation of asian's mom. for us, food isn't just about meal, but a family, sharing day, apology, celebration, love. even happy or sad part, we have our own food to comfort us.❤

[SherriDCollins]

We always think when we are younger, that we will have our parents forever. But unfortunately, they don't. This is why I always say: CHILDREN - Love your parents! Spend every single moment that you can WITH THEM, because once they are gone, They Are GONE! For those of us who no longer have our parents, regret all the moments that we didn't!

[Acutelittlecat]

Im...actually crying. My mother and I also used to be besties when I was little. But as time went on, we argued more and more often. Yesterday, we had a terrible argument. Angrily, I took my ipad and locked myself in my room. As I was watching short films, I suddenly saw this one. The more I watched, the more I regretted everything. After I watched it, I ran straight down to my mum and gave her a hug. Thanks for this wonderful work.❤

[riffatsafdar]

Worst things about adulting is witnessing your parents getting Parents literally sacrifice their life and comfort for us and we can't even take 5 minutes in our lives of appreciate that and when we realize it noting can be done time is probably the most precious things💝💝💝❤️❤️

[CloneClubGlobal]

So touched by this short film. To anyone who didn’t get it. Food in Asian culture takes front and center in almost every home. It’s what connects them to each other. It is love in action— prepping the food for a loved one, sharing / eating the food together, it’s comfort. Some of the best memories at home happened in the kitchen— food sustains us physically, connection feeds our soul. Thank you for making it!

[michelleb]

I lost my only child, my son, more than 6 years ago ate age 21 after a 4 year battle with cancer. I have been doing well lately but this got the big, sobbing tears going again. But no worries, it’s a good thing.

I miss being his mom. I miss him. But I’m glad for memories like this. It’s good to remember those loving close times, even and especially when it’s difficult. I wish he had had time to be a dad like he wanted to. He would have been a good one.

[LaundryFaerie]

I've heard so many people say, "My mother's way of saying 'I love you' was 'Have you eaten?'" And I get that. My mom regularly told her children that she loved them, and she gave them hugs even when we were prickly teenagers, but one of her love languages was cooking -- and she was a wonderful cook who would feed anyone who came to her door, anyone who needed to eat and unwind, anyone who needed a meal. She cooked for her own family, for new mothers and people just home from the hospital, for mourners when a loved one had died.

She died in August 2020, during the pandemic, and because it wasn't safe, none of her sisters attended her funeral. I sometimes wonder what she would have thought about that. It's fortunate that she'll never know.

[behnazrad]

I cried. Mostly because I never had mother love in my life. I hope I can be a better mother for my children.

[nanika]

Me watching this crying while my mom and grandma chilling, chatting and sipping milk tea ...
That made me happy and scared at the same time

[Oxten]

This was so touching. I felt the pain when the daughter stopped eating dinner with her mom.

Even if the day is extremely busy, dinner (or another meal) together with the family should not be rushed. Its not really about eating, its about spending time together. Don't forget forget this - I hope I never will

[turquoisemonster]

I miss my mom even more. Growing in a poor family, I grew up to be ambitious and determined to live a better life than what my parents could afford. Ever since, their love language is service, they are always one step ahead of my needs. After college, I grew more and more apart from my parents since I was already able to support myself. But with the pandemic, my life slowed down. I was at home most of the time with them and I was able to catch up. Little did I know, the days I had with my mom were already counted and those times I am at home are the last chance I got to spend with her. I lost her few months ago and I miss her everyday since. 💔

[sakuraflower]

This story also illustrates that many children of immigrant parents no longer speak their native language. The mother speaks to her in Chinese, but she is always speaking English instead. Then her child speaks English too. It is actually quite sad to see native tongues disappear throughout the generations and this happens very often. It seems like not many are interested in learning it or recovering the language and being bilingual and become culture-washed.

[Vnu_Strz]

I grew up in an Asian household and my mom constantly talked about the food she cooked or ate and me and my sister would always tease her but now that I look back I realize how much these meals meant to her. They weren’t just for the food it was a time for us to bond, laugh, talk and be a family so when she got the divorce and we all stopped having family meals I saw her heart shatter. She just wanted us to all be happy over the hard worked meals she would spend hours making. This short hurts me and makes me realize how much I wish I could go back in time and tell her how much I appreciated all of it.

[sugaudacity]

as someone who grew up in a Chinese household this rly spoke to me. like many other Asian moms, she would show her love chiefly through food - bringing cut up and peeled fruit into my room every night as I studied, remembering how much I loathe raw tomatoes, subtly noticing how much I enjoy a dish and making sure it is doubled in a heaping portion next time, always making sure I get the first opinion on what she should make for dinner. she was the best cook in town by a mile and everyone knew it. I would give anything to just taste her food again 😢

Even if your mom isn’t the best cook, appreciate her every little effort and thought. When you look back you truly see that they meant everything.

[vedantthingalaya]

Moral : Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory....😢

[aanttie]

You never know how much you’ll miss that person until you realize their gone.

[salsabilaadilah]

Tell me if i'm not the only one crying. This short story is just AWESOME!!

[liviutza]

For the ones that weren’t blessed with kind parents: remember it is alright to not love your parents! It is alright to feel anger towards them but don’t burden yourself with hatred, don’t let them destroy your life! And most important: It is NOT YOUR FAULT! Stay safe!

[pranishshrestha]

I cried. It’s so wrong that we don’t value our family until we loose them.