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‘Decoupling’: A documentary that follows a father’s journey to bring his daughter back to the U.S

"Decoupling" premiers as part of the Milwaukee Film Festivals documentary series.
Steph with filmmaker Yinan Wang
Posted at 5:54 PM, Apr 17, 2024
and last updated 2024-04-17 19:55:06-04

A local documentary filmmaker is giving a voice to a common story Asian immigrants are living daily.

"Decoupling" is Yinan Wang's painstaking journey to bring his infant daughter back home to the United States.

Decoupling thumbnail

Imagine the complete agony of not being able to hold or raise your baby for nearly two years.

Filmmaker Yinan Wang and his wife endured this heartbreaking separation from their daughter.

Like many immigrants, grandparents play an integral role in getting through the day-to-day demands of working, going to school, and raising children.

Often grandchildren are taken back to the home country for a short visit or in this case to meet the other set of grandparents still in China.

Just weeks into the visit, the Covid pandemic erupted and there was no way for Yinan to get his baby girl home.

Decoupling photo

Flights to and from Beijing dwindled down to almost nothing and the relationship between the U.S. and China was breaking down. Yinan’s baby girl was indefinitely stuck.

On a student visa, Yinan wasn't sure he would be able to get back to the United States himself.

The film takes us on Yinan's struggle to find a way to get his daughter back to America.

"Decoupling" premiers as part of the Milwaukee Film Festivals documentary series.

Steph with filmmaker Yinan Wang
Steph with Yinan and friends


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