By Olivia Dai ’26, Editor-in-Chief 

Three families. All trying to reconnect with each other. That is the story Changfu Chang’s Silent War documentary tells.

The film follows the journey of three Asian American families struggling with mental health. The Cheng family’s narrative focuses on the struggle of mental health in youth, and tells the story of parents reconnecting and recognizing their daughter’s mental health issues. The Wei family’s narrative centers on dealing with the loss of a parent and turning mourning into strength and advocacy. Finally, the narrative of the Singh family explores the loss of a parent and the desire to reconnect and understand the past. 

Overall, the film succeeds in its authentic storytelling. Watching the film, you find yourself drawn into the interviews with parents, children, and the people around them, and you find yourself empathizing with their feelings of vulnerability and loss. 

I attended the film’s second screening during the fall United Chinese Americans (UCA) conference. When I talked to the Asian American parents that attended the conference, many expressed their appreciation for the film’s themes because it made them realize and acknowledge their children’s mental health. This film offered an insight into how parents could repair their relationships with their children. It is a must-watch for anyone who values family, connection, and understanding.

In his director statement, Chang states, “Today, I still wonder why our members, from a community in which mental illness is highly and prohibitively stigmatized, would come forward to recount and re-live those many intimate moments that could make them vulnerable and could re-trigger their mental illness. I know, for the sake of helping our community combat mental illness, they were willing to take risks. I’m so grateful to them.” This project is important to Changfu and to the Asian American community because it addresses the stigma towards mental health. Even the language around mental health has negative connotations; for example, in Chinese, the word for mental health is “神经病 (shén jīng bìng),” which roughly translates to “disease.” 

Because of this stigma, many individuals are reluctant to share their story and suffer alone.  According to an article by NBC News, suicide is the leading cause of death for Asian American youth. Yet, there have not been many efforts in improving the mental health of these teenagers. A UCLA WAVES article in 2023 reported that Asian Americans are 50% less likely to seek mental help than other racial groups. 

Chang’s film sheds new light on this issue by incorporating the perspectives of families who have simultaneously experienced loss and battled with mental illness. His interviews tackle the unspoken stereotypes, like the stigma against showing vulnerabilities, among the Asian community. His film explores challenges faced by many communities, including school.After watching this film, I am reminded of the struggles Newark Academy students face. Although there are many places one can go to seek mental health help, academic stressors can prevent communication between students and put stress on their mental health. Oftentimes, people still ask others to report their grades and stress about failing tests. Asian American students, specifically, may feel more pressure due to stereotypes, like the ones depicted in the film. According to Katie Liang ’27, “I am really hard on myself but not anyone else.” Just like Chang’s Silent War, Newark Academy students should strive to communicate their struggles and seek to understand others’s struggles as well. By recognizing each other’s pressures and vulnerabilities, NA students could foster a school culture that is built on understanding and care.