Mattie and Jia won’t give in to each other … even if it’s something as small as the cost of brunch. They take fighting for the bill at the end of their meal to a whole new level.

Creative team

Writer/director/producer: Jessica Han

Filmmaker’s statement

How far would you go in a fight for the bill? Bill, Please! was born out of a lunch date with my best friend. When the bill came, we naturally argued for it.

I’m sure that fighting for the bill at the end of a meal is a frequent phenomenon that all cultures can relate to. Being able to pay for the bill at the end of a meal not only signals wealth but also honour, respect, integrity and principles in Asian culture.

I grew up in
 an environment where
 fighting for the bill is 
expected to happen at
 the end of a family 
dinner. Relatives would 
argue over who gets to 
pay and
 physically fight for that 
small piece of paper
 over the table in front of everyone.

At that moment in the restaurant, my best friend and I realized that the fight to clear the dues was so innate that we were exactly like our parents. But our fight wasn’t serious; we laughed about it, we laughed at ourselves and we laughed at how arguing for the bill was like second nature. And like second nature, we had to make it into a film.

About Jessica Han

Jessica Han obtained a BFA from Simon Fraser University with a major in film production and a minor in theatre production.

She has worked as assistant director, production manager, camera operator, camera assistant, boom operator, sound recordist and grip on all sorts of productions.

Apart from her film endeavours, Jessica loves theatre and has been involved in various shows both behind and on the stage.

She is currently working as a theatre/audio-visual technician in Vancouver and writing her next story.