GRAFTED

Wei has had an extremely rough start in life. The film opens with her father’s horrifically bloody death as he attempts to rid himself of a hereditary facial disfigurement. Many years later, still reeling from the loss, and the shame of her own facial disfigurement, Wei is rejected by her family in China. Desperate to leave, she gains a university scholarship in New Zealand. She’s packed off to Auckland to live with her aunt and cousin Angela, who was born in New Zealand and treats Wei with embarrassment and disgust. Her aunt means well but has bigger priorities, leaving the cousins to end up at each other’s throats – literally. Once again facing rejection from every side, Wei throws herself into continuing her father’s scientific work. She’s thrilled when her professor takes her under his wing, but before she knows it, she has yet another problem – not only is he a total sleaze, he’s trying to steal Wei’s research and formulas. Pushed to the brink by the smarmy professor, Angela and her classic “mean girl” friend Eve, Wei goes wild. In her desperation to be accepted by her peers, the mad scientist takes the concept of masking to the extreme and gets a taste for revenge in this madcap body horror ode that weaves MEAN GIRLS and FACE/OFF! HIFF is honored to welcome director Sasha Rainbow to the Festival as part of the New American Perspectives program in partnership with the Vilcek Foundation. Sasha will be in attendance for a FREE panel discussion on SUN OCT 6 at 2:00PM at Consolidated Kahala Theatres.