Andrew Ahn, James Schamus Hope ‘The Wedding Banquet’ Can Bolster Community to Fight Queer Rights Backlash

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At a recent gathering for “The Makers” during the London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival known as BFI Flare, I, Andrew Ahn and James Schamus, took center stage to share insights about our modern take on Ang Lee’s 1993 Oscar-nominated masterpiece, The Wedding Banquet, and discuss our professional journeys.

Ahn, the director and co-writer, was also questioned about the resistance against LGBTQ+ rights in different regions globally. “I wish it weren’t such a contentious issue,” he said, “and it causes me great unease. I can only hope that this film being released will serve as a chance for people to form connections, watch the movie together, find courage, and then be able to step out and battle for the representation they see on screen.” He added, “It just underscores that progress is never certain – it’s always this ongoing pendulum swing.

Schamus, also serving as co-writer/co-producer, commented: “This is the moment we felt during Sundance [premiere], and I hope tonight’s audience will share that feeling here at BFI Flare – a celebration of queer joy, a power that strengthens our resistance.

Under the spotlight at BFI Flare’s opening night is the film titled “The Wedding Banquet“, featuring Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, and Kelly Marie Tran. This takes place on a Wednesday evening.

Ahn and Schamus emphasized their careful and thoughtful approach to the reinterpretation, ensuring they preserved Lee’s original work’s essence out of admiration and reverence, steering clear from the idea of a conventional remake.

Ahn asserted, “You won’t improve Ang Lee’s ‘The Wedding Banquet,’ as it’s an entirely unique movie,” and Schamus concurred, “That’s right, it’s a completely different film.

Ahn mentioned on Wednesday that he was hesitant to remake the classic movie because he holds it so dear, explaining, “I didn’t want to mess with something I adore so much.” He then went on to share his personal story of how he first encountered this film. When he was eight years old, he found the movie in a video rental store. His mother rented it without realizing that it was a film with queer themes, which caused quite a chuckle among the listeners.

As a fan, I can tell you that as a family, we watched a movie which left me astonished. At the time, I may not have realized its impact, but looking back, it was the first gay film I had ever seen. What made it even more profound was that it was a gay Asian film, and its portrayal of humanity resonated deeply with me. This experience undoubtedly ignited my passion for storytelling, shaping me into the narrator I am today.

Korean-American filmmaker Ahn is recognized as one of the key storytellers documenting queer Asian-American life in recent years, according to the BFI Flare event description. His filmography includes the coming-of-age drama “Spa Night”, “Driveways” and romantic comedy “Fire Island”, a queer reinterpretation of “Pride and Prejudice”. He has also directed episodes for “Bridgerton” on Netflix, HBO Max’s “Genra+ion”, and the FX documentary series “Pride”.

Or, more concisely:

Korean-American filmmaker Ahn is a prominent chronicler of queer Asian-American life, with works such as “Spa Night”, “Driveways”, “Fire Island” (a queer adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice”), episodes for “Bridgerton”, “Genra+ion” and “Pride”.

Schamus, a renowned screenwriter, producer, and director (known for ‘The Ice Storm’, ‘Brokeback Mountain’, and ‘Indignation’), was once the CEO of Focus Features. During his tenure, he oversaw the production of critically acclaimed films such as ‘Moonrise Kingdom’, ‘Milk’, and ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’. His latest projects include Kitty Green’s ‘The Assistant’ and the Mexican TV series ‘Somos’.

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2025-03-19 20:55