We caught up with the very talented director Tiger Ji about his outstanding short DEATH AND RAMEN, this dark comedy has been selected for the OSCAR-qualifying Palm Springs ShortFest.

DEATH AND RAMEN is a dark buddy comedy between a ramen chef (Bobby Lee) and the Grim Reaper (Matt Jones). The depressed ramen chef is visited by a bureaucratic Death after botching his suicide. Insistent that he can’t die on an empty stomach, the ramen chef persuades Death to go to this ramen shop for one final meal. DEATH AND RAMEN was written by Tiger after losing his grandfather to illness, and he dedicates the film to those who have lost a loved one.

Congratulations on getting into Palm Springs Shortfest! Your film shares an interesting portrayal of death, why was it important for you to cover this subject?

The subject became pretty significant for me after the passing of my grandfather a few years ago. The experience taught me an important esson—if we never left, our stay could never be meaningful. I wanted to explore this idea further and challenge the societal taboo surrounding mortality. I decided to use levity as a tool to deconstruct the seriousness often associated with death. So this idea of a buddy comedy between a ramen chef and the grim reaper emerged, blending a sort of “existential humor” with a pretty stylized approach. 

What does it mean to you to be playing in Palm Springs?

It’s an honor! Every filmmaker probably says this already, but I feel deeply honored to be able to show my work on the big screen, among a lineup of exciting films and talented filmmakers. This is also just the beginning of our festival circuit journey. Hopefully, it won’t be the peak!

What do you hope that audiences take away from this film?

Above all, I hope that audiences can approach life with a sense of gentleness and acceptance: that impermanence is what makes it all meaningful, you know?

With such an interesting story, we can see it working as a feature. Is this something you have thought of or planned?

Absolutely! The feature version of Death & Ramen is already in development. I always envisioned expanding it into a full-length feature, as we would have more time to communicate what I aim to say through an existentially playful lens (if that makes any sense). There are lots of moving parts, so I’m hoping to declare it here and hope everything falls into place. Art of manifestation, or hubris? You decide.

What is your creative background, and how/when did you get into filmmaking?

My creative journey began in Hong Kong, where I had a background in manga illustration. Ever since I was young, I had a deep passion for drawing comic books. But it was during this time that I realized I was essentially storyboarding. That realization made me want to be a director.

What is your creative process?

My creative process is primarily visual by nature. I invest a significant amount of time in storyboarding. I find that by creating elaborate animatics, complete with animation and voice acting, even before rehearsals begin, I can gain a comprehensive understanding of the story’s texture, philosophy, and rhythm. The only way I can actually collaborate is if I actually felt like I had a good grasp of the film. Only then can I throw it all away, because I would understand the underlying principle. But there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat, and I’m still figuring my way out!