The Eternal Hometown Delicacy

Senior Project Draft Proposal
The Eternal Hometown delicacy
Basic Description:
The graduation project is a documentary film about the relationship between Traditional Chinese food eaten by Chinese Immigrants in Canada, such as dumplings, hot pot, and moon cakes. On the one hand, the documentary will show the background of these foods, the process of making them, and their distinct taste compared to traditionally made ones. This would also include the differences of ‘commercialized’ foods in Canada and those which are traditionally made in China.
On the other hand, the meaning of these traditional foods in line with its cultural and personal implications to overseas students and Chinese immigrants would be illustrated in the film, such as its “symbolic relationship” with the idea of “home” (Matthews, 2002). Studies show that food is one of the cultural appropriations that associate a culture with a delicacy. One example of this is the association of food ways, tastes, and consumption with identity formation, and the creation of “deterritorialized, transnational, and translocal communities” (Wu & Cheung, 2002). In other words, the study of cultural food ways in relation to Chinese immigration experiences among students is essential for the understanding of how food can serve as a symbol of one’s origins.
In order to balance interest and motivation with learning and comprehension, the final project would be done in the form of a documentary. Studies show that documentaries are greatly beneficial for the learning of an individual since it provides learning opportunities while also increasing interest over the subject matter (LaMarre & Landreville, 2009). In other words a documentary is one of the best mediums for people to remember their traditional meal since it is both educational and interesting to watch. Additionally, this sort of documentary can linger in the minds of viewers for a long time. This aspect of “retention” is another benefit that a documentary format can provide to any kind of learner. In turn, retention is important to realize that author’s desire to give importance to foodways, traditions, and other culturally related objects for the benefit of individuals.
Finally, documentary films are an in-depth and instructive resource that may be used to start a conversation. They are effective instruments for bringing critical subjects to the forefront in an engaging manner that inspires discussion and, in some cases, social movements CITATION One16 \l 1033 (One, 2016).
If this documentary gets approved, the whole production will be presented online as audiovisual material. It will be uploaded to YouTube, the most popular streaming media today, as well as some popular Chinese video sites.
Project Rationale:
The target audience for this documentary is Chinese students, 19 to 30 years old, in Canada who have only recently migrated. This group of people may not adapt to the local food because of the change in living environment, and thus awareness must be made about the importance of food for the local adaptation of an individual. Accordingly, one of the disputable assumptions that the author has is that the participants will miss the traditional food of their hometown as well as their home country. This type of sensation is sometimes referred to as homesickness, and significant changes in one's appetite might alter one's mood. Nonetheless, while these barriers to local adaptation could prove to be a hindrance towards an immigrant’s adaptation, an assumption is made that food would serve as a medium towards adaptation based on a review of previous studies that were done in the subject matter.
In line with this, the documentary will attempt to investigate a variety of topics, including the history of the cuisine, how it is prepared, and how it tastes. As stated earlier, the first part of the documentary would show the ‘traditional Chinese food’ by interviewing scholars and experts on the matter through video conferencing. Accordingly, changes of ‘commercialized’ food products would also be examined by interviewing plant owners, food experts, and Chinese food scholars to determine the degree of change that happened between what is considered as traditional Chinese food.
To recap the statement, this documentary will resonate with Chinese students and immigrants, and the taste of home will give them a warm feeling to ease their homesickness. It will be using an entertaining medium to increase attention, interest, comprehension, and retention among its target viewers.
This project was inspired by the Chinese culinary documentary "A Bite of China," in which they show how the produce is harvested fresh and then go through the process of creating the meal. They also show how people become homesick when they are not in their homeland and miss their traditional food. The feeling of being far from the hometown ones live is difficult and can cause uneasiness as stated by University of Northern Iowa (n.d.), they can experience depression, anxiety, and withdrawal as a result of homesickness. However, it's crucial to remember that you're not alone. That is why making a documentary can somehow cheer them up.
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