Tu & Eu (You & Me)

Tu & Eu (You & Me) is a 14x Finalist, including Grand Jury Finalist at the 2011 Academy qualifier Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia with numerous accoldates for Best Direction, Best Ensemble Cast and Best Sountrack, with nominations for Best Actress Daniela Ruah at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Tokyo, Japan) and Best Actor for Ato Essandoh at NBCUniversal Short Cuts Film Festival (NY, USA) and Peer Raben Best Music Award nomination for composer Steven von Kampen at Soundtrack Cologne (Germany).

[Drama, 15 Minutes, HD, Color, Subtitled for Portuguese, American Sign Language, German, Japanese, and Thai]

Written, Directed by Eddie Shieh
Also Written by Richard Vetere
Cinematography by Eun-ah Lee
Editing by Maurice Abbate
Original Score by Steven von Kampen
Casting by Laine Rosenberg
Produced by Eddie Shieh

www.Tu-Eu.com / Facebook Page

2011

Red Rope Screening by Ogilvy RedLotus (USA)
Boston Latino International Film Festival (USA)
Garden State Film Festival (USA)
Beverly Hills Film Festival (USA)
Newport Beach Film Festival (USA)
International Short Film Festival Detmold (Germany)
Brussels Short Film Festival (Belgium)
USA Film Festival (USA) Academy Qualifier Finalist
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Japan) Academy Qualifier Finalist and Best Actress Nomination
Asian Film Festival of Dallas (USA)
NociCortinCinema International Film Festival (Italy) Finalist
NY Asian American International Film Festival (USA) Finalist
Austin Gay Lesbian International Film Festival (USA)
NBCUniversal Short Cuts Film Festival (USA) Semi-Finalist and Best Actor Nomination
Cine Pagu Diversidade (Brasil) By Invitation
Shnit International Film Festival (Switzerland)
Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival (Italy)
DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival (USA)
San Diego Asian Film Festival (USA)
Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (USA)
The New York Times Short Film Festival (USA) By Invitation
Soundtrack Cologne (Germany) Peter Raben Best Music Award Nomination

2012

FiLUMS International Film Festival (Pakistan) Finalist
NewFilmmakersLA Film Festival (USA)
Rockland Shorts Film Festival (USA) By Invitation
Urban Nomad Film Festival (Taiwan)
Asians On Film Festival Winter Series (USA) Winner: Best Direction and Best Ensemble Cast
OneCloudFest (Internet) Finalist
60°N International Film Festival (Norway)
Madeira Film Festival (Portugal) By Invitation
United Film Festival (USA)
HollyShorts Film Festival (USA) Finalist
Independent’s Film Festival / Tampa Bay A&E Network (USA)
Crested Butte Film Festival (USA)
Louisville International Film Festival (USA)
Cincinnati Film Festival (USA)
Best Actors Film Festival (USA) Finalist
Napa Valley Film Festival (USA)
Orlando Film Festival (USA)
Aesthetica Short Film Festival (UK)
International Film Festival Antigua Barbuda (AnB)
Bahamas International Film Festival (Bah)
Big Mini Media Film Festival (USA)
Bronx International Film Festival (USA)
Thess International Film Festival (Greece)

2013

Jaipur International Film Festival (India)
TISFEST: Teen International Short Festival (Turkey) By Invitation
Fargo Film Festival (USA)
Richmond International Short Festival (USA)
Dam Short Short Festival (USA)
Shanghai International Film Festival (China)
OneCloudFest Best of 2012 (Internet) Finalist
Asians On Film Festival Best of 2012 (USA) Finalist: Best Direction and Best Ensemble Cast
Queens World Film Festival (USA)
Collegetown Film Festival (USA)
HollyShorts Film Festival / NYC (USA) By Invitation

2014

Seattle Deaf Film Festival (USA)
Marbella International Film Festival (Spain)
Filmstock International Film Festival (USA)
Williamsburg International Film Festival (USA) WINNER: Best Sountrack

2015

Route 66 Film Festival (USA) WINNER: Best Ensemble Cast
LA Shorts Awards (USA) WINNER: Best Soundtrack
Global Music Awards (USA) BRONZE: Best Soundtrack

2016

Roxbury International Film Festival (USA)

Statement

Tu & Eu (You & Me) was conceived after a tumultuous nine year relationship that ended one month prior to September 11, 2001. After "healing" and self-discovery, the story was finalized in 2006 where the concept of Tu & Eu was sold as a commercial to a leading wireless carrier in Brazil. Extensive delay led to my return home to New York to make this concept into a short film with renewed perspective and experience as a story-teller.

There are only two characters in Tu & Eu therefore it was important to cast genuine multilingual actors - an arduous process of more than 2 years. However the story gained confidence just from meeting so many people who endured a similar story. After several weeks of readings and rehearsals, it was obvious how the cast bonded and prepared as a group.

There were many visual challenges for Tu & Eu as well. The initial goals was to incorporate a more graphic execution but the emotional perspective was lost. My editor, Maurice Abbate, and I came full circle to find that our final edit was the best way to communicate the story while keeping its simplicity.

Oddly, a few key people in the production were experiencing similar relationships at the same time which unfortunately delayed the film's final version. Nevertheless it was more evidence that Tu & Eu was a relatable topic.

Overall, I'm lucky to have worked with a talented, diverse, and giving cast and crew who believed in the story and in me as a director. Although the film is about loss of love and self, we're left with the idea that love still exists. For me, Tu & Eu gave me the opportunity to love again. Most importantly myself.