kate tsang – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

SO YOU’VE GROWN ATTACHED – Review by Nell Minow

August 10, 2022August 14, 2022 Nell Minow Judith Viorst, kate tsang, Madeleine Conner, Necessary Losses, Short films

In this charming and wise short film, writer/director Kate Tsang tells a story of the first steps into growing up with captivating wit and charm, and with a quality that is even more rare, genuine whimsy. The black and white cinematography gives it a timeless, fairy tale quality that perfectly suits the mood of the story. Judith Viorst’s book, Necessary Losses, describes the often-wrenching pain that humans experience as we mature. That theme is brought to life in this film, as a young, sci-fi comics-loving girl named Izzy (Madeleine Conner) has a best friend who is sympathetic, supportive, fun, and always has time to play with her.

Reviews

MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE – Review by Martha K Baker

April 18, 2022April 21, 2022 Martha K. Baker kate tsang, marvelous and the black hole, Miya cech

The plot follows a formula, which director Kate Tsang honors while adding sharp edges — not sharp enough to be inventive, just deckled enough to keep it interesting. The other thing Tsang does is make the audience care about teenage Sammy Ko, played by Miya Cech, and her mentor magician, played by Rhea Perlman. Marvelous and the Black Hole does not carve new pathways, but it satisfies the heart in an hour and 20 minutes.

Reviews

MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE – Review by Valerie Kalfrin

April 5, 2022April 9, 2022 Valerie Kalfrin kate tsang, marvelous and the black hole, Miya cech, rhea perlman

A magician brings some wonder and healing into a troubled teen’s life in the comedic drama Marvelous and the Black Hole, a film with an uneven tone that ultimately succeeds in part because of its leads’ chemistry. Making her feature directing debut, writer Kate Tsang weaves the unlikely friendship of “Marvelous Margot” and Sammy through Sammy’s heartache over the death of her mother. Perhaps the best trick that Marvelous and the Black Hole has up its sleeve: Grief doesn’t have to disappear fully for life to blossom in unexpected ways.

Festivals Interviews

Sundance FF 2021: Kate Tsang on MARVELOUS AND THE BLACK HOLE – Leslie Combemale interviews

January 28, 2021January 29, 2021 Leslie Combemale Cyndi Trissel, kate tsang, marvelous and the black hole, Miya cech, Nani segal, ong ok lee, Sundance Film Festival 2021

Marvelous and the Black Hole, premiering at Sundance 2021, is written and directed by Kate Tsang. Teenage delinquent Sammy (Miya Cech) is struggling with grief about the death of her mother, and is acting out in ways that are both self destructive and damaging to the world around her. It takes meeting Margot (Rhea Perlman), a no-nonsense magician, to make her question how she wants to exist and move forward in the world. The film not only reflects the experience of a complicated 13 year old Asian American girl, it also offers the perspective of a 70-something woman living on her own terms. Tsang uses a diverse cast and crew in telling this magical coming-of-age tale, with a number of female creatives as department heads. We spoke to Kate about this production and in what ways the story mirrors her own experience as a teenager.