David Siev’s documentary Bad Axe follows his Asian-American family at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as they fight to keep their restaurant, Rachel’s of Bad Axe, afloat in their rural and conservative Michigan hometown. The film also highlights the backstory of Siev’s father, Chun, whose mother helped him flea the “killing fields” of the Cambodian genocide and seek refuge in the U.S. Now streaming on Hulu, this powerful SXSW award-winning documentary doesn’t only tackle the pandemic, but also the racist backlash and political divides they experienced in their hometown of Bad Axe, providing a vivid picture of the contentious year of 2020 through the intimate lens of his family.
Photo: Everett Collection
