Bond on Cinema
Bond on Cinema
Ward W. Bond
Filmmaker Benny Chen's short HAND: Navigating the Realities of life in the USA in a time of Anti-Asian Hate
29 minutes Posted Apr 13, 2026 at 4:58 pm.
0:00
29:07
Download MP3
Show notes
HAND follows Lin, a middle-aged undocumented cook working in a small Chinese restaurant in California, as he struggles to navigate the realities of life in the United States.
Caught between the demands of economic survival and a deepening sense of isolation, he begins to confront the personal cost of remaining invisible in a society where anti-Asian hostility continues to rise beyond his workplace.
Through this intimate portrait, the film explores the tensions of immigrant life and reveals how dignity, fear, and resilience coexist under constant pressure.
It’s hard to fathom that we are still living in a society where racism is strong as ever. America has always been the land of opportunity, but today’s social climate is causing us to forget who we really are as people and as Americans.
Benny Chen’s short film HAND is a powerful reminder that we have not grown as a people, possibly regressed as one. We need more films like this one to remind us that empathy, kindness and compassion can go a long way in making those who are coming to the land of opportunity feel welcome.
#antiasianhate #asian #shortfilm #shortfilms #film #cinema #filmmaker #filmmaking #filmdirector #society #america #empathy #kindness