New York Times Op-Docs

Forgiveness Day by Derek Ho

    When I chose this op-doc, the only context I had was one sentence beneath the video reading "I was young and in denial of my own sexuality". After watching, Derek's story proves to be so much more.

    Forgiveness day allows us to follow Derek Ho on an intriguing journey back home to Singapore in an attempt to find peace with an event that occurred when Derek was only thirteen. Through Derek's narrations we find out exactly what it is he is trying to make this peace with, as he reveals he was the one who had outed his brother Jerimiah to their father years ago, causing their family to essentially change forever. His finding of Jerimiah's gay magazines combined with his unexpected interest in them left Derek uncomfortable with his own identity, causing him to act at the expense of his brother, leaving their father furious and worried about their family name and reputation. Forgiveness Day was my personal favorite op-doc out of the ones I have viewed so far because it allowed me to feel like I was really getting something personal from Derek through the documentary style filming, as well as seeing him return to a place that held so much tension, but also a place that will always hold the sentimentality of his family. Derek's story examines culture, sexuality, faith, and how family relationships are impacted by trauma, delivering a beautiful documentary on the journey to forgiveness and love after his own personal disaster.

Single In China by Shosh Shlam and Hilla Medalia 

    Single In China invites the viewer into the world of Chinese romance and marriage through the eyes and experiences of Qiu Huamei, a single woman living in a time where the pressure to be married and have a family has become huge in China. Qiu is what her government would refer to as a "leftover woman" or being single at the age of twenty-seven and beyond. Single In China was very unique for me in the sense that it was truly saddening to watch, even if it was not completely meant to be portrayed that way. From the opening interview, to the meeting with her potential husband, to visiting her family, you could almost see the sadness in Qiu's eyes. It became clear no one was concerned with what her or any of the other "leftover" women wanted, as a family's symbolism of stability in China was more important than that. 

    As not only a woman, but a woman who has much less of a desire for marriage and children in my future than others around me, Single In China showed me how lucky I am to have that choice whether to have a family or not, when in other parts of the world, women like Qiu Huamei are not always granted that privilege. Single In China was an incredible exploration of love and families across other cultures that very much opened my eyes to the fact that these different cultures have different expectations of love, even if it comes at the cost of the emotional health of their own people.