Mei Mei: A Daughter’s Song

The story of the relationship between the parents and children is as old as time itself, but we never tire of it because it is central to all. D. Roberts’ documentary examines how personal boundaries can be complicated by cultural boundaries as here, where the mother is Taiwanese and her daughter is American. The pain of the mother-who was sold into servitude as a girl and suffered abuse and near starvation makes it very difficult for her to relate to her daughter with the warmth and affection that her daughter desires. Thus the two share an uneasy alliance with the daughter continuously trying to understand her mother and her mother’s culture, an attempt that culminates with a trip to Taiwan to explore together her mother’s roots. For an exceptional examination of personal relationships and for sharing them with the radio audience, a Peabody Award to D. Roberts for Mei Mei: A Daughter’s Song.