I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking) is a 2021 American indie film co-written and directed by Kelley Kali and Angelique Molina, marking their feature length debut. The film had its world premiere on March 17, 2021, at the SXSW Festival, where it won the special jury prize.
Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, the recently widowed Danny (Kali) is fighting to find $200 by the end of the day to secure housing in California for her eight-year-old her and her daughter Wes (Wesley Moss), whom she has told have been camping in a tent âÂÂfor adventureâÂÂ.
The film was made on a âÂÂmicro budgetâ including coronavirus stimulus checks, among other limited funds. Filming took place in Pacoima, Los Angeles. The film was shot in ten days and to help overcome problems with the COVID-19 pandemic and the constraints of the budget, the directors Kelley Kalli and Angelique Molina who also co-wrote the script with Roma Kong, included themselves and members of the crew in the cast, and called in favours from performer friends. Deon Cole acted as producer and executive producer. Cinematography was completed by Becky Baihui Chen.
The film was shown at the SXSW Festival where it had its world premiere on March 17, 2021.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, IâÂÂm Fine (Thanks for Asking) holds an approval rating of 90% based on 31 reviews.
Wendy Ide in The Guardian described it as âÂÂrough around the edgesâ but âÂÂspirited and authenticâÂÂ. David Jenkins in Little White Lies described it as âÂÂwell-intentioned if slight and derivativeâ with âÂÂcold digital photography instantly creating a visual shorthand for that period of post-pandemic malaiseâÂÂ. Tara Brady in The Irish Times praised cinematographer Becky Baihui Chen for creating a âÂÂpleasing tableaux from the constant movementâÂÂ, which included âÂÂa bravura set piece with a puddle.âÂÂ
The film won the special jury prize at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2021.