Pedigree
Director: Kai Wen Hu
United States, 2024, 16 min
Shooting Format:Ari Alexa
Festival Year:2025
Category:Narrative Short
Genres:Comedy, Drama
WINNER: Spirit Award
Cast:Jongman Kim, Juyeon Song, Ryan Youngwoong Kim.
Crew:Writer: Kai Wen Hu. Producers: Shuyin Zheng, Cody Young. Cinematographer: Pete Quandt. Sound Designer: Dan Stringer.
Email:kaiwenhufilm@gmail.com
Synopsis
In the heat of a Flushing summer, Korean immigrants Samuel Kim, and his teenage daughter, Squid, hustle as street vendors to stay afloat. Behind on rent and out of options, Samuel hatches a plan: buy a cheap puppy, pass it off as purebred, and sell it to the rich.
When the dog dies tragically, Samuel replaces it—shattering Squid’s image of him. Faced with his daughter’s heartbreak and his own conscience, Samuel makes an unexpected choice. As Squid grieves and Samuel doubles down, both are forced to confront the true cost of their ambitions — and what it means to build a life worth keeping.
Trailer
About the director
Kai Wen Hu is a Taiwanese-American writer and director raised in Minnesota and based in New York. He is a two-time Indian Paintbrush Grant Award winner and a graduate of Columbia University's MFA Film Program with honors. An economist turned filmmaker, Kai Wen's films investigate social contradictions and ironies while playfully utilizing genre. His shorts have garnered awards at various festivals domestically and internationally.
Filmmaker's note
Pedigree is a frantic dive into capitalism’s effect on the immigrant experience. Inspired by the street vendors I met while location scouting another film, I wanted to explore how inequality further victimizes those less fortunate.
Through a blend of genre and tragedy, I hope to create a film that not only cuts through the boundaries of social class, but also encourages viewers to reflect on the authenticity of their own desires and what they’re willing to sacrifice for them.