Softshell

A film by Jinho Myung

Following the death of their mother, a Thai-American brother and sister navigate living in the city and beyond.

Programmer’s Note: Imbued with a sense of wonder at the natural world around her, Jamie (newcomer Caledonia Abbey), floats about the streets of New York to and from her job at the Queens Zoo. In the wake of her mother’s death, her connection to animals is almost as visceral as her attempt to connect with her brother and others around her, so it’s even harder when her mismatched boyfriend, a chef at a Michelin star restaurant takes it upon himself to assume curatorial control through an ethnically based assumption, essentializing Jamie’s culture and making her dinner one night at great expense to her personal and mental wellbeing.

This film graphically depicts cooking techniques that some viewers may find disturbing.

Director, Writer: Jinho Myung
Principal Cast: Caledonia Abbey, Legyaan Thapa

About the Filmmaker

Jinho is a filmmaker living in New York. His parents are from Korea, but he was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. He is interested in personal-documentary filmmaking and diasporic storytelling. Softshell is his debut feature which premiered at the New/Next Film Festival in Baltimore and won the Grand Prix Jury Award at the Entrevues Belfort International Film Festival 2024.