The stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that emerge while cooking a meal

In her short film Now I’m in the Kitchen, the Chinese animator Yana Pan, who is now based in LA, offers viewers glimpses into her kitchen and mind as she depicts the stream-of-consciousness thoughts that emerge while cooking a meal. Summoning the sounds of chopping, the warmth and fog of smoke, and the taste, aroma and distinct sizzle of oil, Pan builds a rich sensory experience to illustrate how the process stirs up memories of her mother – some joyful, others fraught, and many still difficult to untangle. Both the minimalistic, textured animations and the story they tell are deceptively simple as, from just a few simple ingredients, Pan crafts an enchanting work on senses and memory, and mothers and daughters.