Grants & Awards

About the Film:

Two spirited daughters from China’s last remaining matriarchal society are thrust into the worldwide economic downturn when they lose the only jobs they’ve ever known. Left with few options, Jua Ma and La Tsuo leave Beijing for home, a remote village in the foothills of the Himalayas. But home is no longer what it was, as growing exposure to the modern world irreparably changes the provocative traditions the Mosuo have built around their belief that marriage is an attack on the family. Determined to keep their mother and siblings out of poverty, one sister sacrifices her dream of an education and stays home to farm, while the other leaves to try her luck in the city. From Lijiang to Chengdu, Jua Ma’s interactions with rich Chinese businessmen, Tibetan gangsters, migrant workers and fledgling pop stars lead her on a precarious path that pits her hopes and dreams against bitter realities.

About the Filmmakers:

Marlo Poras began her film career as an apprentice to Thelma Schoonmaker at Martin Scorsese’s Cappa Productions and worked in the editing room on independent films such as Greg Mottola’s DAYTRIPPERS and Alison Anders’ GRACE OF MY HEART. Later, she was living in Vietnam, producing teen oriented HIV/AIDS education films for The Population Council & UNICEF when she was inspired to make MAI’S AMERICA, her first film.

MAI’S AMERICA screened at dozens of festivals worldwide and won numerous awards, including the Audience Award for Feature Documentary at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. The film was later awarded Best Feature Documentary from the International Documentary Association (IDA) and aired on P.O.V., PBS’ award winning non-fiction showcase.

Marlo also works as a camerawoman on documentaries such as COUNTRY BOYS, David Sutherland’s critically acclaimed PBS/Frontline series, and on Jocelyn Glatzer’s Emmy Award nominated P.O.V. documentary, THE FLUTE PLAYER, which she edited as well. Marlo is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship.