Jiajia Hu received a grant to develop a new film. Hiep Hiep Hoera is a short fiction film about a Chinese-Dutch family in the early 2000s, told from the perspective of young Xing Xing, who on her eighth birthday wants nothing more than to eat cake together with her parents. While her parents are trapped in the daily chaos of their struggling snack bar, her birthday seems to pass by unnoticed. The story, based on autobiographical elements, is about a child’s longing for attention, emotional closeness, and time, exactly what her parents, despite their love, cannot give her. It sheds light on the second generation of Chinese-Dutch people who grew up in their parents’ hospitality businesses, as well as on the sacrifices that migrant parents have made.Jiajia Hu studied screenwriting at the Netherlands Film Academy and makes films to better understand the people around her. She is fascinated by small drama: everyday stories about ordinary people seeking connection, but often falling short. Her interest lies with characters who struggle with loneliness and with films that make space for silence.