In this reflection, a group of creative learners reflects on their filmmaking project. The purpose of their film is to raise educators’ awareness of Asian language speakers falling between the hegemony of English and Chinese. Here is the film that adopts symbolic systems (shadow, language, performance and cultural artefacts) to construct its educational message to the wider audience.
- Why did you select this topic/concept/theme?
Behind China’s strong influence on Asia and even the world, we have noticed the reactions from our Vietnamese friends. The theme aligns with our experiences and discussions in the Intercultural Language Learner Identity course, and primarily explores how international students from Vietnam—an international group that has not received much global attention—often feel overlooked or misrepresented in their daily lives and may experience forms of invisible oppression.
As international students from China, we deeply love our home country and frequently speak out against the discrimination and bias we face as Chinese individuals, as well as the injustices our country encounters. However, through studying intercultural communication in a study-abroad context, we have come to realize that even well-intentioned expressions of cultural pride—such as insisting on calling it “Chinese New Year”—may unintentionally erase others’ identities. This realization has encouraged us to adopt a more multidimensional perspective in understanding the world and different people, helping us become more aware of the invisible forms of oppression we might impose on others. This is also a new voice from China—a form of self-reflexivity.
Our Vietnamese friends’ experience serves as a lens through which we explore how mainstream cultural narratives—including our own—marginalize others. In this film, our focus shifts from defending our own identity to amplifying voices that are often drowned out in intercultural dialogues.
- How is it connected to your group’s personal experiences and identities?
Although our team consists of four Chinese students, our study-abroad experience has provided us with new perspectives on intercultural communication and identity. Through academic discussions and personal experiences, we have gradually recognized the complexity of cultural representation and the potential forms of unintentional exclusion. The project has allowed us to critically reflect on our own positions and challenge the assumption that cultural proximity guarantees mutual understanding. In this process, we have set aside our own identities and prioritized marginalized Southeast Asian perspectives—even when they critique our own cultural assumptions.
- What are the stories behind the film that shape your film narrative?
This film is based on the real experiences of a Vietnamese friend of one of our group members, who generously agreed to participate as the protagonist. In this short film, we selected four key stories from his experiences and structured them into four acts.
Act 1 takes place during the first workshop, where participants introduce where they are from. The Vietnamese student feels the impact of others’ unfamiliarity with his country, especially its geographical position, highlighting the invisibility that Vietnam has experienced internationally. (We have intentionally blurred the storyline here, only revealing the nationalities of a Chinese student and the Vietnamese student. The other two characters can be students from any country. We hope the scene is not limited by the appearances of our actors.)
In Act 2, a debate unfolds over the term for the New Year. Some students argue that calling it Lunar New Year disrespects China and are outraged by the expression of Happy Lunar New Year greeting, insisting that the holiday rightfully belongs to China. Nevertheless, the term Chinese New Year makes Vietnamese feel excluded, which prompts a critical reflection on whether, in defending their own rights, we might inadvertently oppress others.
Act 3 takes place in a Vietnamese pho restaurant. During the conversation, someone expresses that Vietnamese pho is merely a derivative of Chinese rice noodles, leaving the Vietnamese student feeling frustrated. This moment exposes the unconscious marginalization and hierarchy embedded in cultural narratives.
In Act 4, a drunken man yells at this Vietnamese student to “Go back to China,” illustrating both the homogenization of Asians and the invisibilization of individuals from non-dominant countries.
Each scene layers personal anecdotes with broader systemic issues, creating a narrative from cultural erasure to resilient self-assertion. These moments of frustration, misunderstanding, and silent resistance reflect the experiences of many marginalized, oppressed, and overlooked groups in intercultural interactions, making the film both deeply personal and universally resonant.
- What concept is under focus? (inclusion, racism, linguistic bullying, gender, disability, othering, understanding).
This film explores themes of otherness, inclusion, and intercultural identity negotiation. It highlights the challenges faced by individuals from smaller or less globally dominant cultures in being seen and understood, as well as the conscious or unconscious marginalization and invisible oppression they may experience.
By telling this story, we aim to encourage greater awareness of subtle forms of exclusion and emphasize the importance of truly seeing and hearing individuals beyond national and cultural labels.
Finally, by centering the narrative on a Vietnamese protagonist, we titled the film “Do You Really See Me?—Identity in the Shadows” —a challenge to the audience to confront their own selective visibility. Discrimination, othering, and homogenization often remain at a superficial level, without truly seeing the individuals affected.
- What key message(s) the film is making? (e.g. feelings of anxiety, othering, standing against injustice, understanding misunderstanding, empathy, solidarity, or other objectives?)
Our film highlights cultural invisibility and the erasure of minority identities under dominant cultural influences. Here are the key messages included:
Othering and Misrecognition: The protagonist’s Vietnamese identity is constantly overshadowed by China’s cultural dominance, leading to feelings of alienation (e.g., being mistaken as Chinese, debates over Chinese New Year terminology).
Cultural Ownership vs. Shared Heritage: Conflicts arise when traditions (e.g., Lunar New Year, pho) are framed as exclusively “Chinese,” dismissing Vietnam’s distinct cultural contributions.
Microaggressions and Systemic Exclusion: The drunk man’s racist remark (“Go back to China”) reflects broader societal ignorance and the dehumanizing effect of stereotyping.
Resilience and Assertion of Identity: Despite frustration, the protagonist persistently clarifies their identity, symbolizing marginalized voices striving for visibility. Beneath the slightly blue tone, we see the spirit of resistance and awakening from Vietnam, leaving the audience with endless room for interpretation.
Our film critiques cultural hegemony while advocating for empathy, recognition of diversity, and dialogue to bridge misunderstandings.
- Draw a group collage of the concept and use a metaphor to represent your understanding.
There is a fragmented mirror reflects scattered cultural symbols. We could see big broken shards labelled “Chinese New Year” and “Confucius” and smaller pieces depicting Vietnamese elements “Tết”, “pho” and the Vietnamese flag. The protagonist V, who can’t be seen through the reflection in the mirror pieces, tries to piece the mirror together. However, no matter how hard he tries, the gaps remain.
The broken mirror represents how dominant cultures fracture minority identities. The incomplete reflection symbolizes how marginalized voices are obscured, urging the audience to “see” the whole picture by acknowledging overlooked fragments.
- What did you learn during the process of the filmmaking creation?
Nuances of Cultural Representation: Simplifying traditions risks erasing unique histories. “Being sensitive” is key to avoiding stereotypes.
Power of Subtle Storytelling: Fragmented narratives, like the signs of V, can evoke empathy more effectively than overt messaging.
Collaborative Empathy: Team discussions revealed how personal biases shape perceptions.
Art as Advocacy: Creative mediums like film can challenge hegemony by humanizing abstract issues like cultural erasure.
- Explain how creative collaboration helps you in developing your understanding of intercultural issues.
We invited a friend from Vietnam, which helped us find the blind spots when modifying the script. We also try to use negotiating narratives to balance critique of cultural dominance without vilifying any group required dialogue, fostering nuanced understanding. Furthermore, the script was created based on true personal stories deepening empathy and shaped authentic scenes such as the drunk man confrontation. The scenes also reflect on real-world intercultural collaboration requiring compromise, active listening, and creative synthesis.
- What social, political, cultural, and educational issue(s) does the film address?
This film assignment addresses few issues: First, it explores invisibility, othering, and homogenization experienced by individuals from less globally dominant cultures. It also highlights how social microaggressions and subtle exclusions can impact identity and belonging. Additionally, the film implicitly critiques cultural dominance and nationalism, especially in how dominant countries shape global narratives. It questions the political dynamics behind naming, recognition, and cultural ownership (e.g., “Chinese New Year” vs. “Lunar New Year”). Culturally, it engages with cultural appropriation, erasure, and power hierarchies within intercultural exchanges. As for education, it promotes critical intercultural awareness and highlights the need for inclusive pedagogies that amplify marginalized voices, encourage empathy and address unconscious bias in global learning environments.
- Who’s the audience addressed in this film?
The audience addressed in this form would be international students who navigate intercultural spaces and identity struggles; educator and researchers in intercultural communication, language education, and diversity studies; policy makers and administrators in higher education, particularly those who work on inclusion, equity, and international student support.
- How could it be used in education or other fields?
In education fields, this film can be a teaching resource in intercultural communication, TESOL, sociolinguistics, and global citizenship courses to prompt classroom discussions on unconscious bias, inclusivity, and the complexity of identity. It can also be used for teacher training to help educators reflect on representation, naming practices, and inclusive classroom dialogue. What is more, this film can be used in workplace diversity and inclusion training, especially in multinational organizations.
