5/25 "Kelly Loves Tony" Film

          The “Kelly Loves Tony” documentary follows two Asian American teenagers who journey through young marriage and parenthood. When Kelly gets pregnant her senior year with her boyfriend Tony, she was surprised to come home one day to discover that their parents had arranged an engagement. This marks the beginning of Kelly’s struggles as she faces the pressure of accepting Mien traditions, while wanting to live out her own aspirations in America.

In Mien culture, when a woman gets married, the daughter is being given away to the other family. As a result, Kelly moves to live with Tony and his family in their home. She finds herself severely struggling to be a mother, wife, and daughter in law all at the same time. When Kelly shares her hatred and discomfort of this lifestyle, Tony largely focuses on the familial aspect of Mien culture and says it’s Mien tradition for the wife to help out in the house. This relates to the notion of patriarchy. He also doesn’t fully support her goal to continue her college education. Kelly doesn’t want to disrespect Tony’s family, and is pressured to accepting these Asian traditions, despite having to sacrifice her own happiness and education. The film discusses the multiplicity of cultural identities between their Mien heritage and American culture. It also discusses power in the familial unit, and how the head male and in-law parents have a large influence of power. 

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