The trials and tribulations of teenagehood can be tough, a time where you’re trying to figure out who you are and where you stand with others and in the world. Whether you have fond memories of your teenage years, or not, this formative period in time has helped to shape who we are. Exploring teenagehood within her screenplay debut Americanized, Erica Eng delivers a short film delving into the life of Eng – a 16 year old teen of Asian descent based in Oakland and a member of her school’s basketball team. Tackling themes of cultural heritage, girlhood and sport – Erica tells us more about the film’s creative process and qualifying to be considered for an Academy Award®.
Hi Erica, your short film Americanized has qualified to be considered for a 2022 Academy Award®, how are you feeling?
Hearing it from you now kind of hit me, because today is when they’re opening up the voting (Friday 10thDecember). It’s such a surreal position to be in because I remember feeling discouraged after initially getting so many rejection letters from film festivals and being worried that no one would like the film. But being here today – Oscar Qualified after winning “Best Dramatic Short” at Cinequest – it’s just an amazing feeling. And it’s also great hearing from Catherine Lyn Scott (London Flair PR), on all the great feedback we’ve been receiving from people who have watched and enjoyed the film.
