TaiwaneseAmerican.org’s Kristina Lin talks to producer and screenwriter Weiko Lin about his work, family, and recent film project. Weiko’s personal life story and the tragic death of his mother in 2007 serves as the inspiration behind his original play, and now the recently released movie, 100 DAYS. In Taiwan, there is a Buddhist belief that if a parent passes away before his/her child is married, the child has 100 days to do so to ensure that the parent’s soul transitions peacefully or risk the possibility of it lingering for three years.
“My mom always asked me ‘how come I never do anything for Taiwan for the movies,’ and I told her ‘I promise one day, I will,'” says Taiwan-born Weiko Lin, who previously spent most of his time teaching screen-writing in Chicago and Los Angeles. 100 DAYS is his first major feature film production.
100 DAYS, the movie, was directed by Henry Chan who is an Emmy-winning TV director whose credits include The Neighbors, The B in Apt. 23, Let’s Stay Together, King of Queens, Scrubs, and Moesha. The film hit theaters in Taiwan in November 2013 to excellent reviews.
It is now playing at various film festivals in the United States including the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. We’ve seen it, and it’s a heart-warming and romantic comedy that lives up to expectations and showcases some beautiful Taiwanese island scenery. Be sure to catch a screening whenever or wherever you can!
Watch the trailer:
Follow 100 DAYS on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100DaysMovie
100 DAYS was released simultaneously as a manga comic book and with a beautiful CD soundtrack. TaiwaneseAmerican.org has two sets autographed by Weiko Lin to raffle off during Taiwanese American Heritage Week. To enter, all you have to do is comment below or on our Facebook post with a brief tribute to your mother (or other female mentor/relative). We’ll select one winner with the most inspiring comment and a second winner by random drawing on May 18, 2014.
I really enjoy Taiwanese American.org with the inspirational stories, its tributes to the people and the community. Growing up in the USA, immigrated to NYC at a young age of only 4, I wanted to be just an English speaking average American. However, my mother insisted that I learn Chinese during my Saturday morning cartoons schedule. I fought back saying I am Taiwanese and didn’t need to learn Mandarin. Not only did I had to continue learning Mandarin, I was encouraged to speak Taiwanese at home to my parents and to my maternal grandmother who left her comfy Taiwan home to help my mom as she worked long hours in the sweat shop to provide food for me and my siblings and always coming home in time to make us healthy hot meals each evening while my dad worked long hours at the restaurant. Now, at 40, I really appreciate all the sacrifice and encouragement my mom did for us…not many people my age can speak fluently in Taiwanese, Mandarin and English. I wish I was a better student and a better daughter. I hope to be an inspiration to my son growing up in Tennessee…may he also speak our language and pass it on to his children and keep the Taiwanese identity as we maybe American in citizenship but Taiwanese culturally.