Cacti and Weed

Happiness is a joint effort. Free-spirited artist Ella beat cancer but just can't win over her controlling mother-in-law (Nainai). Hilarious chaos ensues when Margaret’s life is in danger and Ella has to risk everything... Intergenerational dynamics spiral into hilarious chaos. This Asian family comedy explores our struggle to truly belong.

Director Zoe Ho

Born in Hong Kong, Zoe Ho's worldview changed completely when she moved to the Western Arctic of Canada in her early 20s. For a decade she served as a TV producer and magazine editor, diving deeply into Inuit life, their culture and point of view – self-educating on visual arts, media and interviewing skills required to bring their stories to print and television.

A multi-disciplinary artist (visual arts, photography and ceramics), Zoe is driven by the nuance, conflict and love that sparks when East meets West, by the intersectionality of colonialism, intergenerational and cultural gaps.

Her multi-disciplinary work (film, visual arts, photography and ceramics) explores our tendency to self- limit - suppressing our authenticity and voice in submission to cultural and political shackles - in contrast against the ever-present possibility of self-emancipation. Her short film “Rhyme and Riza” (2019), about a young South Asian woman’s struggle as a first generation immigrant to become a rap artist, was shown at the Vancouver Mighty Asian Film Marathon. Cacti and Weed (2020) is her first venture into directing, while also producing, writing and acting in the lead role of Ella.

Cacti and Weed (2020) is inspired by her personal story as a cancer survivor and first generation immigrant.