When Waipo Visits
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
In this story about grief and intergenerational conflicts, Rachel, a young Chinese American woman, encounters her grandma's ghost, Waipo, at an LA nightclub. This surreal journey explores what it means to find peace from loss, making you laugh and breaking your heart all at the same time.
When Waipo Visits
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Comedy, Drama
Green Light
This campaign raised $10,550 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
108 supporters | followers
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In this story about grief and intergenerational conflicts, Rachel, a young Chinese American woman, encounters her grandma's ghost, Waipo, at an LA nightclub. This surreal journey explores what it means to find peace from loss, making you laugh and breaking your heart all at the same time.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When Waipo Visits is a dramedy about a 23-year old Chinese American woman Rachel, who must convince the ghost of her grandma, Waipo, to reconcile with Rachel’s grieving mother.
The story begins with Rachel partying with friends at a club in Los Angeles. She’s eyeing her long-time crush Sam—could tonight be the night they finally kiss? A missed call from her mom interrupts her daydream, painfully reminding her of the grief still hanging over them. Another shot later, she stumbles to the bathroom to throw up, where the ghost of her grandmother, Waipo, appears. A chaotic, emotional night of dancing, confrontation, and vulnerability between a granddaughter and her grandmother unfolds against the pulsing beat of the dance floor.
Themes
- The only way to move on is to make peace with what cannot be changed: Grief is an all-consuming journey without a clear destination. The film explores the cruel reality of losing someone without getting the answers you longed for. As difficult as it is, moving on means letting go of the need for resolution.
- There is no right answer in intergenerational conflict—only empathy: A central part of growing up, especially in immigrant families, is learning to mediate between generations. Though centered on Waipo and Rachel, the film delves into a three-way relationship, marked by guilt, love, and unspoken expectations. It reflects the cyclical sacrifices in many immigrant families: the eldest generation sends their children to a new country for a better future; those children, in turn, sacrifice the connection with their own parents to raise the next generation. The youngest strive for independence and individualism, often at odds with the cultural expectations and the duty to care for their parents. Defining the “right” and “wrong” would be nearly impossible, so finding empathy and grace is the most we can do.
Why this story, why now?
When Waipo Visits is inspired by a personal loss that left me searching for peace in the absence of closure. Telling this story is my way of making sense of that absence and imagining what healing might look like, even if it’s messy and imperfect.
While this is a deeply personal and specific film, grief is a universal experience. Everyone either has dealt with or will deal with the loss of a loved one. As Joan Didion wrote in The Year of Magical Thinking, “Grief comes in waves, paroxysms, sudden apprehensions that weaken the knees and blind the eyes and obliterate the dailiness of life.” Her writing captures my own grief, a reality that I must confront and process every single day.
But loss isn’t always about death. Losing someone to misunderstandings and differences, despite your best efforts, is heartbreaking in its own way. The push and pull, tethered by our love for each other, fractures the most important relationships in our lives. At the end of the day, we just want to be seen by those we love.
I want to tell this story with empathy, humor, and honesty. In the midst of my own grief, I desperately grasped at any book, movie, or even social media posts that could help me rationalize this irrational experience. There is an urgency to make peace with loss, find the new normal, and heal. I hope this film can be a small part of that journey for someone and gently remind them that they are not alone.
Your Pledge is Going Towards:
As emerging filmmakers, one of our biggest goals with this project is to create a piece that showcases our voices and opens doors for future work—for ourselves and for the talented team of up-and-coming artists we’re bringing on. Opportunities in this industry can be hard to come by, which is why we’re committed to making this a truly professional-level production on our own terms.
We’re aiming to raise the full budget through crowdfunding—and we have just 30 days to do it before we jump into official pre-production! Independent filmmaking isn’t possible without community support, and we’re so grateful to every single person who helps us bring this story to life! Thank you for being part of this with us!
That being said, our 13k budget will be used towards the following:
- Locations to bring Rachel and Waipo's story to life! The club is a very important location as it makes the perfect scene for mixing humor into such an emotionally resonant story.
- Equipment to best capture the look and feel of the characters' environments and performances.
- Production Design to bring the director's vision to life.
- Wardrobe for the party people + Waipo's very specific outfit.
- Food + Crafty for our hardworking cast and crew. Feeding 15+ people every day for nearly a week of shooting sure adds up fast.
- Cast Stipends to thank the actors who came together to bring this story together.
- Insurance to protect equipment rentals, location booking, etc.
- Seed&Spark Fees to ensure each pledge raised actually goes towards the film! (Because, yes, crowdfunding also costs money).
STRETCH GOAL:
Our stretch goal is $15,380, which will allow us to fund the following:
- Crew Stipends: To compensate our hardworking team who’ve poured time and care into bringing this film to life behind the scenes!
- Camera + Lighting Upgrade: To access the camera of our dreams and the lighting equipment needed to fully bring our nightclub scenes to life with the richness and detail they deserve.
Every donation—no matter the size—gets us closer to making this film the best it can be.
If you believe in our story and our team, please consider donating or sharing our campaign!
Much love,
The Sonder + When Waipo Visits Team
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations (The Nightclub!)
Costs $4,000
A fun, high-energy, and modern nightclub will help bring the tension and love between Rachel and Waipo to life.
Food
Costs $700
Keeping our cast + crew fed well so we have the energy to club post-filming!
Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe
Costs $180
For all our party people!
Camera + Lighting
Costs $3,000
A cool, moody nighclub needs good lighting and a good quality camera too.
Waipo's Thermos
Costs $50
Let's just say this ends up being an important stunt prop...
Production Staff
Costs $1,250
This budget goes towards paying our hard-working cast & crew.
Production Design + Props
Costs $650
Having an expert set designer will help bring out the depth of the story in all the locations our characters inhabit!
Grip + Electric
Costs $1,000
With a good grip + electric setup, the colors in our locations will be able to truly POP!
Production Sound
Costs $500
Although we will be dancing in silent (yes that's how it's done on a film set), good quality recording of our sound is important!
Fees & Insurance
Costs $1,300
Vital for filming any project safely and responsibly! Seed&Spark fees built in to ensure all the money pledged goes directly to the film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Emily Li | Writer/Director: Emily is an LA-based writer, director, and producer. Growing up in both Northern California and Hangzhou, China, she is passionate about exploring complex family dynamics and cross-cultural themes through drama and comedy. After graduating from UC Berkeley studying Film and Business, she worked in entertainment marketing and management consulting. This fall, she will be pursuing her MFA in Producing at the USC Peter Stark Program. Emily also co-founded Arteur Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering AAPI creatives. Over the past few years, they have hosted art markets and galleries and interviewed creatives from all over the world.
Gracie Flores | Producer: Gracie is a Mexican-American writer, director, and producer from Los Angeles, California. She is the co-founder of Sonder Pictures, a community-driven production company dedicated to mutual aid, collective growth, and accessibility in independent filmmaking. Gracie is passionate about uplifting the voices of filmmakers of color and is especially drawn to stories exploring queer joy, layered family dynamics, and personal transformation. A recent graduate of Columbia University, Gracie has worked on productions for Lifetime and Hello Sunshine, and currently works as a Programs and Events Intern at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
Yicheng “Loyal” Xie | Director of Photographer: Yicheng "Loyal" is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who received the Best Cinematography Award from a Hollywood industry panel including ASC cinematographers. His narrative work will screen at LA Shorts International Film Festival. Loyal’s portfolio spans narrative films, documentaries, music videos, and branded content, with collaborators including Dr. Jill Biden and Cord Jefferson, and clients such as Haier and UGreen. He is also representing Loyola Marymount University in its Camerimage Festival application. His visual style blends emotional nuance with technical precision, always anchoring story through perspective.
Nicole Baroudi | Production Designer: is an LA-based production designer and graphic designer. After earning her BA in Graphic Design from Central Saint Martins in London, she moved to LA to pursue filmmaking. She holds an MFA in Production Design from AFI. With a passion for character-driven female-led stories, Nicole has designed over 12 short films of various genres.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
When Waipo Visits is a dramedy about a 23-year old Chinese American woman Rachel, who must convince the ghost of her grandma, Waipo, to reconcile with Rachel’s grieving mother.
The story begins with Rachel partying with friends at a club in Los Angeles. She’s eyeing her long-time crush Sam—could tonight be the night they finally kiss? A missed call from her mom interrupts her daydream, painfully reminding her of the grief still hanging over them. Another shot later, she stumbles to the bathroom to throw up, where the ghost of her grandmother, Waipo, appears. A chaotic, emotional night of dancing, confrontation, and vulnerability between a granddaughter and her grandmother unfolds against the pulsing beat of the dance floor.
Themes
- The only way to move on is to make peace with what cannot be changed: Grief is an all-consuming journey without a clear destination. The film explores the cruel reality of losing someone without getting the answers you longed for. As difficult as it is, moving on means letting go of the need for resolution.
- There is no right answer in intergenerational conflict—only empathy: A central part of growing up, especially in immigrant families, is learning to mediate between generations. Though centered on Waipo and Rachel, the film delves into a three-way relationship, marked by guilt, love, and unspoken expectations. It reflects the cyclical sacrifices in many immigrant families: the eldest generation sends their children to a new country for a better future; those children, in turn, sacrifice the connection with their own parents to raise the next generation. The youngest strive for independence and individualism, often at odds with the cultural expectations and the duty to care for their parents. Defining the “right” and “wrong” would be nearly impossible, so finding empathy and grace is the most we can do.
Why this story, why now?
When Waipo Visits is inspired by a personal loss that left me searching for peace in the absence of closure. Telling this story is my way of making sense of that absence and imagining what healing might look like, even if it’s messy and imperfect.
While this is a deeply personal and specific film, grief is a universal experience. Everyone either has dealt with or will deal with the loss of a loved one. As Joan Didion wrote in The Year of Magical Thinking, “Grief comes in waves, paroxysms, sudden apprehensions that weaken the knees and blind the eyes and obliterate the dailiness of life.” Her writing captures my own grief, a reality that I must confront and process every single day.
But loss isn’t always about death. Losing someone to misunderstandings and differences, despite your best efforts, is heartbreaking in its own way. The push and pull, tethered by our love for each other, fractures the most important relationships in our lives. At the end of the day, we just want to be seen by those we love.
I want to tell this story with empathy, humor, and honesty. In the midst of my own grief, I desperately grasped at any book, movie, or even social media posts that could help me rationalize this irrational experience. There is an urgency to make peace with loss, find the new normal, and heal. I hope this film can be a small part of that journey for someone and gently remind them that they are not alone.
Your Pledge is Going Towards:
As emerging filmmakers, one of our biggest goals with this project is to create a piece that showcases our voices and opens doors for future work—for ourselves and for the talented team of up-and-coming artists we’re bringing on. Opportunities in this industry can be hard to come by, which is why we’re committed to making this a truly professional-level production on our own terms.
We’re aiming to raise the full budget through crowdfunding—and we have just 30 days to do it before we jump into official pre-production! Independent filmmaking isn’t possible without community support, and we’re so grateful to every single person who helps us bring this story to life! Thank you for being part of this with us!
That being said, our 13k budget will be used towards the following:
- Locations to bring Rachel and Waipo's story to life! The club is a very important location as it makes the perfect scene for mixing humor into such an emotionally resonant story.
- Equipment to best capture the look and feel of the characters' environments and performances.
- Production Design to bring the director's vision to life.
- Wardrobe for the party people + Waipo's very specific outfit.
- Food + Crafty for our hardworking cast and crew. Feeding 15+ people every day for nearly a week of shooting sure adds up fast.
- Cast Stipends to thank the actors who came together to bring this story together.
- Insurance to protect equipment rentals, location booking, etc.
- Seed&Spark Fees to ensure each pledge raised actually goes towards the film! (Because, yes, crowdfunding also costs money).
STRETCH GOAL:
Our stretch goal is $15,380, which will allow us to fund the following:
- Crew Stipends: To compensate our hardworking team who’ve poured time and care into bringing this film to life behind the scenes!
- Camera + Lighting Upgrade: To access the camera of our dreams and the lighting equipment needed to fully bring our nightclub scenes to life with the richness and detail they deserve.
Every donation—no matter the size—gets us closer to making this film the best it can be.
If you believe in our story and our team, please consider donating or sharing our campaign!
Much love,
The Sonder + When Waipo Visits Team
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Locations (The Nightclub!)
Costs $4,000
A fun, high-energy, and modern nightclub will help bring the tension and love between Rachel and Waipo to life.
Food
Costs $700
Keeping our cast + crew fed well so we have the energy to club post-filming!
Hair, Makeup, and Wardrobe
Costs $180
For all our party people!
Camera + Lighting
Costs $3,000
A cool, moody nighclub needs good lighting and a good quality camera too.
Waipo's Thermos
Costs $50
Let's just say this ends up being an important stunt prop...
Production Staff
Costs $1,250
This budget goes towards paying our hard-working cast & crew.
Production Design + Props
Costs $650
Having an expert set designer will help bring out the depth of the story in all the locations our characters inhabit!
Grip + Electric
Costs $1,000
With a good grip + electric setup, the colors in our locations will be able to truly POP!
Production Sound
Costs $500
Although we will be dancing in silent (yes that's how it's done on a film set), good quality recording of our sound is important!
Fees & Insurance
Costs $1,300
Vital for filming any project safely and responsibly! Seed&Spark fees built in to ensure all the money pledged goes directly to the film!
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Emily Li | Writer/Director: Emily is an LA-based writer, director, and producer. Growing up in both Northern California and Hangzhou, China, she is passionate about exploring complex family dynamics and cross-cultural themes through drama and comedy. After graduating from UC Berkeley studying Film and Business, she worked in entertainment marketing and management consulting. This fall, she will be pursuing her MFA in Producing at the USC Peter Stark Program. Emily also co-founded Arteur Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering AAPI creatives. Over the past few years, they have hosted art markets and galleries and interviewed creatives from all over the world.
Gracie Flores | Producer: Gracie is a Mexican-American writer, director, and producer from Los Angeles, California. She is the co-founder of Sonder Pictures, a community-driven production company dedicated to mutual aid, collective growth, and accessibility in independent filmmaking. Gracie is passionate about uplifting the voices of filmmakers of color and is especially drawn to stories exploring queer joy, layered family dynamics, and personal transformation. A recent graduate of Columbia University, Gracie has worked on productions for Lifetime and Hello Sunshine, and currently works as a Programs and Events Intern at the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP).
Yicheng “Loyal” Xie | Director of Photographer: Yicheng "Loyal" is a Los Angeles-based cinematographer who received the Best Cinematography Award from a Hollywood industry panel including ASC cinematographers. His narrative work will screen at LA Shorts International Film Festival. Loyal’s portfolio spans narrative films, documentaries, music videos, and branded content, with collaborators including Dr. Jill Biden and Cord Jefferson, and clients such as Haier and UGreen. He is also representing Loyola Marymount University in its Camerimage Festival application. His visual style blends emotional nuance with technical precision, always anchoring story through perspective.
Nicole Baroudi | Production Designer: is an LA-based production designer and graphic designer. After earning her BA in Graphic Design from Central Saint Martins in London, she moved to LA to pursue filmmaking. She holds an MFA in Production Design from AFI. With a passion for character-driven female-led stories, Nicole has designed over 12 short films of various genres.