2013, 83 minutes, HD, Color. IMDB.
SYNOPSIS
Kyle and Jen, estranged siblings, travel from New York City to rural Pennsylvania to pack up the home of their recently deceased mother. While there, they make a discovery that turns their world upside-down.
A Picture of You is a serious movie about life that gets sideswiped in the supermarket parking lot by a funny movie about death. It’s a story about family, loss, secrets, letting go, and starting anew.
WATCH
Download or stream at Kanopy, Amazon, iTunes, VHX
CAST
- Jo Mei as Jen
- Andrew Pang as Kyle
- Teyonah Parris as Mika
- Lucas Dixon as Doug
- Jodi Long as Mother
CREW
- Writer, Director, Producer: J.P. Chan
- Producer: Yasmine Gomez
- Producer: Robert M. Chang
- Executive Producer: Duane Andersen
- Director of Photography: Andrew Reed
- Editor: Kevin Barker
- Consulting Editor: Jennifer Lilly
- Production Design: Sara K. White
- Music: Yea-Ming Chen
REVIEWS
“‘A Picture of You’ skillfully pinballs between tense drama and laugh-out-loud humor. In recent years, only a few other films about troubled sibling dynamics, such as ‘You Can Count on Me’ and ‘The Skeleton Twins’, have accomplished this difficult feat as capably.” – Telegram & Gazette, November 13, 2014
“[‘A Picture of You’s’] bald but never cloying sincerity and smart, crisp performances — Mei is a treat, and I want to see more of her — make it worth your time.” – Flick Filosopher, October 22, 2014
“A small weird gem…Jo Mei emerges as the real star here.” – The Sheila Variations, October 11, 2014
“***** (5 of 5 stars)” – Examiner.com, September 12, 2014
“Nimbly avoiding the excesses of melodrama and the recessiveness of mumblecore, Chan and his likably low-key cast navigate hairpin turns from drama to comedy to outright farce with an impressive sense of proportion.” – Los Angeles Times, September 11, 2014
“A Picture of You thankfully avoids the saccharine of “families reunited because of a death of parent” movies with realism and levity and is a worthy addition to the growing canon of Asian American film.” – Beyond Chinatown, June 29, 2014
“A curiously likable, entertainingly laid-back Asian-American take on all-too-familiar dysfunctional family tropes, this Kickstarter-enabled effort boldly mines farce along with sentiment.” – Variety, June 27, 2014
“A Picture of You has an elegant ease to it’s storytelling. It’s supremely relatable and should be noticed.” – Cinemit, June 27, 2014
“Sensitive and understated, J.P. Chan’s A Picture of You balances humor and sentiment with an instinctive hand, skillfully unearthing honest, unexpected laughs amid intense grief.” – The Village Voice, June 20, 2014
“Chan and his cast, especially the truly great Mei, find the truth in the ridiculous enough for it to work on its own modest terms.” – RogerEbert.com, June 20, 2014
“Subverts cliché…there’s enormous warmth.” – The New York Times, June 19, 2014 [A New York Times Critics’ Pick]
“A sharp, mischievous family drama with an ending that will stick with you for days.” – WayTooIndie.com, June 6, 2014
“This disarmingly low-key genre-hybrid delivers both dramatically and comedically.” – The Hollywood Reporter, May 24, 2014
“A Picture of You is a smart, intimate, well-conceived and neatly executed low-budget film which draws the audience into a…family secret…with impressive results.” – The Huffington Post, May 23, 2014
“A rambunctious family drama.” – The Bay Area Reporter, March 13, 2014
STORIES
7 movies that show Asian American experiences in its vastness – Mic, March 3, 2021
Filmmaker JP Chan talks to Matt Pana about Jersey roots, artistic pursuits, and wearing many hats. – Likewise Podcast, February 26, 2015
Angry Asian Man’s Angry Gift Guide: ‘A Picture of You’ Limited Edition DVD – Angry Asian Man, December 15, 2014
‘A Picture of You’ Screenplays Now Available at AMPAS Margaret Herrick Library – Oscars.org, November 20, 2014
‘A Picture of You’: Milford movie comes home – Pike County Courier, October 2, 2014
Grief, diversity and gratitude — An interview with filmmaker J.P. Chan – Nichi Bei, September 18, 2014
Asian-American Filmmaker JP Chan Talks to SAG-AFTRA – SAG-AFTRA YouTube Channel, September 17, 2014
Film School Radio interviews director J.P. Chan – FilmSchoolRadio.com, September 10, 2014
A Picture of Us: Mia Kang interviews filmmaker J.P Chan about his latest film, and casting Asian actors in lead roles – The Margins, July 16, 2014
Andy Pang Co-Stars in NY Times Critics’ Pick ‘A Picture of You’ – KoreAm, June 27, 2014
Looking for an indie drama that is written and directed by and starring Asian Americans? – Jezebel, June 26, 2014
‘Sullivan & Son’ star Jodi Long talks about the new season – Arise Entertainment 360, June 23, 2014
Asiance Magazine interviews Jo Mei – June 22, 2014
3 Things Actor Jo Mei Learned on an Indie Film Set – Backstage, June 20, 2014
Director J.P. Chan and ‘A Picture of You’ – World Journal, June 20, 2014
Asia Pacific Arts interviews J.P. Chan – June 19, 2014
Asian Cinevision Cinevue interviews J.P. Chan – June 14, 2014
Way Too Indie’s Secret Stash #2 Featuring J.P. Chan – June 9, 2014
Twitch Film Premieres the ‘A Picture of You” Theatrical Poster – June 4, 2014
Way Too Indie: J.P. Chan and Cast Talk ‘A Picture of You’ (Part 2) – May 30, 2014
Way Too Indie: J.P. Chan and Cast Talk ‘A Picture of You’ – May 29, 2014
Bright Ideas Magazine interviews Teyonah Parris – May 25, 2014
‘A Picture of You’ Wins Best Screenplay at the 2014 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival – May 11, 2014
LAAPFF Faces of Festival Week: J.P. Chan – May 2, 2014
Project of the Day: Heading Back Home after a Death in ‘A Picture of You’ – Indiewire, October 23, 2012
SCREENINGS
| Date | City | Venue | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 11-13, 2013 | Bend, OR | Bend Film Festival | Festival |
| November 9, 2013 | San Diego, CA | San Diego Asian Film Festival | Festival |
| March 15 & 19, 2014 | San Francisco, CA | CAAMFest | Festival |
| April 12, 2014 | Eugene, OR | DisOrient Asian American Film Festival | Festival |
| April 17, 2014 | Chicago, IL | Chicago Asian American Showcase | Festival |
| April 19, 2014 | Beloit, WI | Beloit College | College |
| May 3, 2014 | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival | Festival |
| May 9, 2014 | Berkeley, CA | University of California, Berkeley | College |
| June 20-July 1, 2014 | New York, NY | AMC Loews Village 7 | Theatrical |
| September 4, 2014 | Jamaica, NY | York College, The City University of New York | College |
| September 12-25, 2014 | Honolulu, HI | Consolidated Kahala 8 | Theatrical |
| September 12-18, 2014 | Pasadena, CA | Laemmle Playhouse 7 | Theatrical |
| October 3-5, 2014 | Matamoras, PA | Majestic Cinema | Theatrical |
| October 5, 2014 | Baton Rouge, LA | Manship Theatre | Theatrical |
| October 15, 2014 | Columbus, OH | Film Festival of Columbus | Festival |
| October 20, 2014 | New York, NY | New York University | College |
| November 8, 2014 | Vancouver, BC | Vancouver Asian Film Festival | Festival |
| November 11, 13, 15, 16, 2014 | Worcester, MA | Cinema 320 at Clark University | Theatrical |
| November 13, 2014 | Baltimore, MD | Creative Alliance | Theatrical |
| November 16, 2014 | Nevada City, CA | Nevada Theatre | Theatrical |
| February 14, 2015 | Seattle, WA | Seattle Asian American Film Festival | Festival |
| April 22, 2015 | Waltham, MA | Brandeis University | College |
| July 10 & 18, 2015 | Pittsburgh, PA | Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival | Festival |