The result is Saving Face, a smart and sincere comedy about the rocky relationship between Wil (Michelle Krusiec), a young Chinese-American doctor, and her estranged mother (Joan Chen). Both harbor secrets from each other. Wil’s gay and dating a beautiful ballerina (Lynn Chen). Ma, a widow at 48, has been shunned by her friends and family in their close-knit Chinese community for being pregnant with another man’s child.

Certain to warm the hearts of those who adored My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Saving Face represents Wu’s efforts to persuade her Taiwanese mother—and anyone who will listen—that you can’t give up on finding love when you fast approach 50, or any age for that matter.

Wu, 34, didn’t just walk out on her job at Microsoft to direct Saving Face. Over the course of five years, Wu took screenwriting classes and cut her teeth on the short film Trick or Treat. With the help and support of producer Teddy Zee, the head of production for Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment, Wu finally received her opportunity to direct her first full-length film.

Film South Florida spoke to Wu when she attended the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival for the regional premiere of Saving Face.

Film South Florida: How, if at all, have Asian, gay and straight audiences reacted differently to the film?

Alice Wu: I took it to Toronto and San Francisco [prior to the Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival]. I was nervous as I had never seen an audience react to the film. It was gratifying when they go worked up about it at Toronto. Next was San Francisco, which had a large gay audience. The response was even louder as people felt they could identify with so many elements of the film. What’s most surprising is that mainstream audiences have responded so well to the film. I came in thinking I had a little Chinese-American lesbian film and [mainstream audiences] forgot parts of it is in Chinese and has a gay story. It could have been about a Jewish or Irish family. I love that the film transcends cultural identities.

Film South Florida: There’s a great line at the start of the film: “Nothing kills romance faster than a mother’s approval.” Sounds like you have some experience in this matter.

Wu: I’ve lived that. My mom never said that, but it’s a line I’ve heard. This is fiction. I did not grow up in Flushing, my mom was not pregnant at 40, and I’m not a doctor. But it’s emotionally authentic. I grew up with Chinese immigrant parents who had the same feelings and hopes and goals for me.

Film South Florida: You made Saving Face as a love letter to your mother. Why?

Wu: I saw my mother at 48. Something had happened and she had been ostracized by the Chinese community. It was hard to watch. For the previous 20 years, she had been treading water. She had been living to die, living for me. I really wanted to write something that made her believe that, at 48, it was not too late to fall in love. No matter whether you’re white, black or Asian, or 28, 48 or 78, everyone wants love.

Film South Florida: In the film, Joan Chen is shunned by her friends and family, and practically exiled from the Chinese-American community in Flushing, N.Y. Is this something that is common?

Wu: There’s not one Chinese-American community. There just happens to be a recent wave of Chinese immigrants to Flushing who don’t speak English. In that community, values are more traditional. I also had a conservative upbringing in Northern California. Communities are open, others aren’t. For the story, it was important to save the conservative element as it would be more emotionally translatable to the story. Does what happen to [Ma] happen? Yes. But I want to be clear that this does not happen in all Chinese communities.

Film South Florida: Given your conservative upbringing, how tough was it to come out to your mother?

Wu: We didn’t speak. Now we have a great relationship. And, with the film, I told my mom that now all her friends will know why I’m not married. My mom brought five of her best friends to see the film. They loved it. That shocked me. Before the film, I heard things like, “It’s such a pity she’s not married,” or “She needs to get a man.” The reality of the situation is understood after they saw the film, which is really about saying we love who we love.

Film South Florida: When did you notice sparks fly between Michelle Krusiec and Lynn Chen? It’s certainly evident early in the film, when they first speak with each other as adults. That scene is surprisingly sensual, even though they are just chatting at a vending machine.

Wu: I spent a lot of time casting the roles. I had cast Michelle first. When Lynn walked in, I said to the casting agent, “She’s the one.” We had 1,000 people read for the film, but there was something about Lynn. On the surface, I did not think she was right for the role. But there was the chemistry. She read with Michelle on six occasions. They were shy together. They were quite tentative. I staged the first rehearsal for them to create a sense of intimacy. By the time we got to filming the love scene, I had gotten their characters to fall in love. I wanted it be sensual rather than physical.

Film South Florida: Were you nervous about working with Joan Chen? She’s not only an accomplished actress, but she’s also directed several films.

Wu: I didn’t think she was right for the role. She had never done comedy. And I thought she was overly sexy and too modern for the role. She was too young and beautiful. I met her and told her if she did it, she really needed to look like a conservative Chinese mother who, at 48, had made all the major decisions in her life. And she does look older, but it was not done in the makeup chair. It came from an emotional place within. She was willing to do that for the film. And she did a wonderful job.

Film South Florida: You’re certainly a rarity: an out-of-the-closet Chinese-American woman who managed to overcome the odds to direct her first feature film.

Wu: If you had told me that when I was younger ... I was thinking about it one night a week or so into the shoot. I was taking the crew van home. I had an image of myself at 14. I was so shy. I walked with my head down. God, if someone had told me at 14I would grow up to direct my own movie, I would have thought they were crazy. Still, at this moment, I find it astounding. I’ve found something I enjoy doing so much. I hope it’s not my only shot at doing it, but that’s not up to me.

Film South Florida: What’s next for you? Or does your next move hinge on the success of Saving Face?

Wu: I’m writing, and I’m getting stuff. I know what I’m supposed to, and that’s to sign onto another movie. But I also feel I have to see this film through. There’s no marketing budget. It’s all word of mouth, so I’m focusing my energy on that. There are some things in the works, but I want to make sure that all goes well with this film.

Saving Face is now in theaters. Clicks here for more information.

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