1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $2.5M β micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#01
Saving Face
"A romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between."
2004 1h 37m EN
π
7.2
SOLID
β
7.2TMDB Β· 278
ComedyRomanceDrama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A Chinese-American lesbian and her traditionalist mother are reluctant to go public with secret loves that clash against cultural expectations.
βA romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between.β
Cast
Joan Chen
Ma
Michelle Krusiec
Wil
Lynn Chen
Vivian
Jin Wang
Grandpa
Guang Lan Koh
Grandma
Ato Essandoh
Jay
Nathanel Geng
Mr. Cho
Mao Zhao
Old Yu
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Alice Wu
- Writers
- Alice Wu
- Languages
- English, Mandarin
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts πΏ
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 49% of its budget on initial theatrical β a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 22 years ago.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Mandarin.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Alice Wu, shot by Harlan Bosmajian. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Anton Sanko. Worth a dedicated listen after β most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Susan Graef shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Joan Chen and Michelle Krusiec and Lynn Chen carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr Β· trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Alice Wu directs. Harlan Bosmajian behind the camera. Anton Sanko scores. Susan Graef cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Mandarin.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $2.5M β micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 2Earned back only 49% of its budget on initial theatrical β a commercial disappointment on release.
- 3Released 22 years ago.
- 4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Mandarin.
- 5Directed by Alice Wu, shot by Harlan Bosmajian. Note their partnership β DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Anton Sanko. Worth a dedicated listen after β most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Susan Graef shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Joan Chen and Michelle Krusiec and Lynn Chen carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "A romantic comedy about right, wrong and everything in between.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0384504 β still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 14 themes, including "coming out", "homophobia", "chinese woman", "lesbian relationship".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Harlan Bosmajian
- Original score
- Anton Sanko
- Editing
- Susan Graef
- Production design
- Daniel Ouellette
- Costume design
- Jill Newell
- Makeup / hair
- Angela Gallagher
- Sound
- Dominick Tavella
- Stunt coordinator
- Manny Siverio
- Runtime
- 97 min Β· 1h 37m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $2,500,000
- Box office
- $1,230,000
- Return
- 49% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Alice Wu
Stills Β· wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames β open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Overbrook Entertainment
US
- FO
Forensic Films
US
- GR
GreeneStreet Films
US
Key crew
- Production DesignDaniel Ouellette
- EditorSusan Graef
- Costume DesignJill Newell
- EditorSabine Hoffman
- Set DecorationMylene Santos
- ProducerJames Lassiter
- ProducerTeddy Zee
- ProducerWill Smith
- Executive ProducerScott Macaulay
- Executive ProducerJohn Penotti
- Executive ProducerRobin O'Hara
- Still PhotographerJoJo Whilden
- Script SupervisorMariana Hellmund
- Music SupervisorTracy McKnight
- Production Sound MixerNoah Timan
- Sound Re-Recording MixerDominick Tavella
- Steadicam OperatorGeorge Bianchini
- Camera OperatorBill Trautvetter
- Stunt CoordinatorManny Siverio
- Craft ServiceRoni Armstrong
- Line ProducerBergen Swanson
- Key Makeup ArtistAngela Gallagher
- Key Makeup ArtistDionne Pitsikoulis
- HairstylistJoseph Whitmeyer
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- coming out
- homophobia
- chinese woman
- lesbian relationship
- cultural difference
- dating
- lgbt
- chinese american
- cultural conflict
- woman director
- intersectionality
- mother daughter relationship
- lesbian
- girls' love (gl)
Release history Β· US
When it landed
- Theatrical (limited)2005-05-27R
- Theatrical2005-06-24R
- Physical2025-08-26Β· Criterion Collection Blu-Ray
Also known as
International titles
- Π ΡΡΡΡΡΠΈ ΠΎΠ±Π»ΠΈΡΡΡUA
