Join us on November 5 at 6:30 p.m. to watch One Small Visit, a movie about crossing national, social, and planetary borders. This heartwarming 30-minute feature tells the true story of the Abrahams, an immigrant Indian family who passes through Neil Armstrong's Ohio hometown in the wake of the '69 moon landing and the civil rights movement, ending up on Neil Armstrong's doorstep. The film is based on the real-life story of executive producer Anisha Abraham's family. It is written and directed by Jo Chim. Held in collaboration with Asia Society Hong Kong, the film screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmakers and the family it is inspired by.

One Small Visit has been screened and awarded nationwide, worldwide, and beyond: from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC to the Yarmouk Cultural Center in Kuwait to Asia Society Hong Kong; from NASA headquarters in Washington, DC to NATO headquarters in Brussels.

The film premiered at the LA Shortsfest 2022, where it won the prize for Best Foreign Film. It has been streamed on the 95th Academy Screening Room, where it received Oscar consideration for Live Action Short. One Small Visit also won the Audience Choice Award for Best Short at the Cleveland International Film Festival and Best Narrative Short nomination at the New York Indian Film Festival.

Schedule

6:30—7:10 p.m. Introduction and Film Screening

7:15—8 p.m. Conversation with Filmmakers and Family 

Film Synopsis

One Small Visit is the incredible true story of the Abrahams, an immigrant Indian family who finds themselves in Neil Armstrong’s Midwest hometown during a road trip. After learning Armstrong’s parents still live there, they excitedly set out to catch a glimpse of the childhood home of the now-famous astronaut. In the wake of the ’69 moon landing and the civil rights movement, the Abrahams are greeted by the locals with stares, whispers, and unknowing racist remarks, a true sign of the times. Dad is on edge as well. His experience in this part of the country left a devastating mark on him, and now he’s suspicious and tense just being there. Despite it all, the Abrahams take a giant leap of faith and find themselves not only on the doorstep of the Armstrong home but on the threshold of an experience they will never forget.

Director Jo Chim describes her experience with the film: 

One Small Visit is based on the true adventure of my dear friend Anisha and her parents. When I first heard the story over a decade ago I was completely captivated and instantly fell for these lovely, bold, and badass Indian women. I loved the re-telling of the moon landing, a historical event we all know so well, from this intimate perspective. Troubled by the growing polarization happening around the world, working on this gave me hope. After researching the 60s in more depth, I realized the parallels between that era's turmoil and today's. I see this tale as a parable for our own divided times. A Chinese Canadian woman, I’ve been a global nomad most of my life. I’ve always grappled with issues of race, identity, and belonging. With One Small Visit, I wanted to address them in an uplifting way. Ultimately, it’s a story between two very different families finding connection and a shared humanity; a testament to taking leaps of faith and small acts of openness and kindness that make a difference. I’m part of the larger, global Asian diaspora, people who have long been a part of the fabric in our adopted nations but constantly viewed as perpetual foreigners, visitors, those who don’t belong. This story proves we do, that we’ve been here all along, part of the most celebrated event of human history, interacting with the most iconic of American families. Our stories just haven’t been told.

Anisha Abraham - Executive Producer

One Small Visit is based on the true story of Anisha's family. 

Anisha is a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent health specialist, researcher, TedX speaker, and author of the book Raising Global Teens.  Anisha knows what it’s like to face an ever-changing social landscape. She grew up in America as the daughter of South Asian immigrants and has lived with her husband and two kids in Asia, Europe, and the US. She has held multiple roles, including being chief of an adolescent medicine division and a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Currently based in Washington, DC, Anisha’s passion is helping cross-cultural kids to thrive. She treats young people with health issues such as depression and provides training on adolescent health to organizations and schools. As a teen health expert, she has been featured on CNN, NPR, Fox News, the BBC and the South China Morning Post.

Jo Chim - Writer / Director / Producer

Born in Hong Kong and raised in West Africa, Canada, and the US, Jo’s been a global nomad most of her life. A career chameleon, she’s had multiple roles in the arts, media, and corporate branding for over two decades. After graduating from Brown University she worked in New York and played in Paris before moving to Hong Kong. She returned to North America and pursued acting in theatre, TV, and the occasional Hollywood blockbuster, earning her very own MEAN GIRLS meme. Now in HK, she oversees a creative studio for branding and marketing content, specializing in making short form videos, for a global private education company. This is Jo's debut as a writer, director, and producer.