Kara Markley
Children are innocent, precious, and largely unaware of the diabolical realities of the world. Their minds develop based on the environment and experiences that shape them. My Mom Wants to Kill Me tells the story of an eight-year-old girl who finds herself trapped in a relentless cycle of fear and guilt. She struggles with the haunting reality that she believes she is to blame for her mother’s death, feeling powerless in the face of tragedy. The film closely reflects the real-life experiences of producer Sandy Chen.
Created on a minimal budget of $10,000, Sandy Chen took on multiple roles to fill in for the crew and be able to deliver a high-quality, content-driven project. She acted as director and writer, handled SFX makeup, VFX, editing, props, costume, and even set design. The fantasy horror film explores the much lesser talked about subject of childhood guilt, trauma, and healing. The film cuts deep into the nuanced complexity of feelings children go through without the support of those around them. The producer’s personal experience of witnessing a difficult divorce of her parents in childhood and being told that it happened because she was a daughter and not a son brings her closer to the storyline and experiencing it firsthand.
The film’s success at international film festivals is a testament to its compelling storyline, powerful acting, and gripping screenplay. It won the Best Fantasy Short award at the Avalonia Festival of Short Films. It was honoured with the Best Screenplay award at the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Madrid. My Mom Wants to Kill Me also swept multiple categories at the Heart of Europe International Film Festival and the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival. It even received an honorary mention at the Panama City Independent Film Festival and the Germany International Film Festival, further solidifying its impact on the global film scene.
The film’s selection and nomination at numerous international film festivals, including the prestigious Long Island International Film Expo—LIIFE and Orlando International Film Festival, among others, is a testament to its universal appeal and powerful storytelling. This recognition not only validates the film’s impact but also underscores its potential to resonate with diverse audiences worldwide.
When asked if she achieved her goals through the project, Sandy Chen expressed that the message could not have been conveyed any better. While she noted that the technical aspects of the film might have been approached differently with a larger budget, she firmly believes that, in the context of predominantly male-driven narratives surrounding women’s issues, this project represents a meaningful step toward providing women with a platform to share their authentic experiences. My Mom Wants to Kill Me seeks to raise awareness about children’s mental health and challenges the cultural tendency to minimise young people’s emotional struggles. The film serves as a call to action for parents, teachers, and caregivers to listen more attentively and take children’s feelings seriously before it’s too late.
Discussing the challenges of production, Sandy Chen revealed that filming took place over three days and one night, with the cast and crew stepping up to support each other beyond their designated roles. Sandy Chen ensured effective use of their limited time through meticulous pre-production planning, which included detailed storyboards and actor rehearsals. However, some setbacks, like a key actor becoming stuck in traffic, jeopardised the meticulously planned schedule and depleted the emergency budget.
Sandy Chen considers My Mom Wants to Kill Me a breakthrough project that addresses complex emotional issues. Currently, she is working on Second Language, a comedic short that explores cultural identity within the Asian community. Additionally, she is developing two passion projects titled Best Ending and She Just Wants to Protect Her Dog: an animated short focusing on gender identity and a feature-length musical centred on themes of trauma and animal protection respectively. Her goal is to continue telling difficult stories in accessible and emotionally resonant ways.
My Mom Wants to Kill Me is more than just a chilling title; it is a poetic and painful exploration of a child’s subconscious, rooted in real memories, crafted with care, and executed with perfect creativity. The film reminds us that healing often begins not with grand gestures, but with quiet understanding—and that some of the most powerful horror stories emerge not from monsters, but from the shadows of our minds.
For more details and information, please visit https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13220796. Follow Sandy Chen on Instagram to stay updated about the insights and deets about her personal and professional life.