Filmmaker Spotlight: Cathy Yan

By Morgan Roberts

Cathy Yan is nothing short of a bold and visionary filmmaker. After writing and directing several short films, Yan made her feature directorial debut with the 2018 film, “Dead Pigs” which premiered at that year’s Sundance Film Festival. “Dead Pigs” won a Special Jury Award for acting. The film would not receive a wide release until February 2021 when it began streaming on Mubi. In April 2018, Yan was selected to direct the comic action film, “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.” The film, written by Christina Hodson, focused on the fan-favorite supervillain Harley Quinn, portrayed by Margot Robbie. Both of her films have large ensembles with seemingly separate storylines finding their way into a central narrative. Yan has a way of filming that depicts the vastness of people, their circumstances, and the world they live in. With several projects in the work, we are taking a look at Yan’s films and her upcoming films.

“Dead Pigs” (2018)

Yan’s feature directorial debut is a dark comedy of intertwining stories. Old Wang (Haoyu Yang) is a farmer who comes home one day to discover one of his prized pigs has unexpectedly died. Like other pig famers in the area, he dumps the dead pig into the river, which soon joins a flurry of other dead dig floating in the river. Meanwhile, Candy (Vivian Wu), a successful salon owner and Old Wang’s sister, who, despite her pristine and modern workplace actually lives in a dilapidated blue shack in the middle of a field of garbage. Sean (David Rysdahl), is an American architect who has come to China as the mastermind of a new development in the region. He plans are stalled when Candy refused to sell her property, much to her brother’s chagrin. Then there’s nightclubber Xia Xia (Meng Li) who starts a romance with restaurant worker Wang Zhen (Mason Lee), who is not only the son of Old Wang, but one trying to hide his true profession from his father.

Vivian Wu and David Rysdahl in “Dead Pigs” (2018) | Mubi

The film opens up feeling a bit disjointed. There are so many storylines, but how they eventually merge and weave together. Yet, as the stories begin to intersect, Yan reveals a tapestry of deep philosophical struggle: how do we balance our traditions in a rapidly growing and changing world? Each of these characters having difficulties navigating the changing world around them: the technological advances, the urban development, the deteriorating respect for Mother Nature. Some are desperate for change, to move past the growing pains of progress. But some characters cannot come to terms with the decimation of the life they once knew.

The humor of the film is darkly satirical. It understands that change is inevitable. But the sacrifice of traditional ways of life does not have to be the only way forward. “Dead Pigs” examines how the need for harmony between the two is required for humanity to truly succeed. The inclination to abandon traditional ways of living in order to run toward perceived progress means that when food becomes scarce, when people are crammed together in tight living quarters, when sleek and modern begins to feel soulless, the need for tradition becomes vital, but could be inaccessible.

Haoyu Yang in “Dead Pigs” (2018) | Mubi

Moreover, the dead pigs in the film was inspired by the 2013 events in Huangpu River when 16,000 dead pigs were found in the river. The river supplies the city of Shanghai with some of its drinking water. It created fears of a public health crisis, especially as avian flu was being found in other areas of the country. It feels almost eerie considering how, just two years later, the world would be turned upside down by a pandemic. A health crisis which would kill millions, but would also require the fast-moving world to pause. Pigs are also an interesting animal. In Chinese Zodiac, the pig is the symbol of good fortune and wealth. Pigs are seen as well-balanced and easygoing. The fact that the film features dead pigs floating in the river is quite poignant.

“Dead Pigs” is a rich text with complex layers with woven together stories all culminating in a surrealist and delightful ending. More films should end with a sing-along song. Even in its critique of society and its satirical exploration, “Dead Pigs” never shies away from hope. Even in the most dismal times, Yan knows the power of hope.

“Birds of Prey” (2020)

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros. released Yan’s second film, “Birds of Prey,” a spunky comic book film centered on supervillain and fan-favorite Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). The film follows Harley after breaking up with the Joker and a series of events which put her face-to-face with ruthless crime boss Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor). But Harley is not alone. After pick-pocketing teen Cassandra (Ella Jay Basco) steals and hides, by eating, a diamond Roman wants, Harley teams up with the only decent cop in Gotham Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), nightclub singer turned driver for Roman, Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett), and orphaned daughter of a gangster turned vigilante, Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Together, the women fight together to not only save Cassandra but take out Roman once and for all.

Margot Robbie in “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” | Warner Bros.

I personally think most comic book movies take themselves too seriously. Comics are supposed to be fun, flashy, hyperbolic, and enchanting. Even in his imperfections, filmmaker Joel Schumacher knew how to make Batman campy - for lack of a better word. Yan similarly understands the heightened world of comic books and knew how to play with the genre. Working with cinematographer Matthew Libatique, Yan made a flashy, brightly-colored world. The use of color makes the film stand out in comparison to other DC Universe films. It makes sense for the flamboyance and showiness of someone like Harley Quinn. It perfectly captures her personality.

The film is also an excellent character study. All of these women have encountered different levels of hardship. Harley was in an abusive relationship with the Joker for numerous years. Black Canary lost her mother at a young age and has struggled to survive on her own. Huntress was orphaned at a young age and has sought to avenge the deaths of her family. And Renee has dedicated her life to trying to serve her community in an ultra-corrupt police force. They have all faced discrimination to varying degrees and must now show up for a young girl who has been trying to survive within the foster care system. While the film does not have the time to give each character great insight into their backstories, I think it managers to give important glimpses into their motivations as people.

Rosie Perez, Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett, Ella Jay Basco, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” | Warner Bros.

“Birds of Prey” is still an action movie, and Yan’s direction does not disappoint. The fight scenes throughout the film are adrenaline-pumping and supremely shot, some moments are so stylish, they are visually stunning to look at. There are shots in the film that are truly remarkable. There is one shot of Huntress fighting a mercenary going down a slide. Yan has discussed how Libatique, holding a camera, went down the set slide with Winstead and the stunt performer to get that shot. Simply put, it’s really cool to see that type of shot in a film. Especially when we are seeing a group of women fighting countless men. There is also a moment when, during one of the main fight scenes, Black Canary keeps having to push her hair out of her face, when Harley gives her a hair tie. It is a specific moment that feels like only a woman behind the camera could capture that.

The fact that an action film under two hours can have exciting fight sequences and deeply human moments demonstrates the range of Yan as a filmmaker. She has a keen eye for both and manages to give equal weight to both elements of the film. Despite its lukewarm reception, “Birds of Prey” is one of the few comic book movies that actually holds up. It is smart, witty, stylish, and downright fun. Everything a Harley Quinn movie should be.

Looking Forward

Yan has a number of exciting projects in the work. Most recently, Yan wrapped on her next feature film, “The Gallerist” which stars Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Da’Vine Joy Randolph - fresh off her Oscar win, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Daniel Brühl, Charli XCX, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The premise for the film is a gallerist conspires to sell a deceased man at Miami’s Art Basel. The film is being produced by MountainA, Concordia Studio, Slow Pony, and MRC with a hopeful 2025 release date. “The Gallerist” is described as a thriller, which feels like a natural evolution from “Birds of Prey.”

Currently in pre-production is the film, “The Freshening” with the synopsis on IMDb, “Tensions over race and gender have reached a violent extreme, so the U.S. government institutes ‘The Freshening’: every American receives an injection, after which everyone only sees others as the same race and gender as themselves.” This dystopian, sci-fi-leaning film currently has John Boyega attached to the project. And as of January 2020, Yan started working on A24’s film adaption of “Sour Heart,” based off a collection of short stories by Jenny Zhang. Yan and Zhang are co-writing the project together which is an autobiographical coming-of-age story and immigrant story about a young girl who moves from Shanghai to New York in the 1990s.

Yan has a keen eye for intricate storytelling, finding different paths in the human experience and manage to weave them together quite seamlessly. Whether it is a dark comedy or a full blown action film, she knows how to keep audiences entertained and captivating. With these upcoming projects, I cannot wait to see these works come to the big screen.