The Vindicator photograph 1987. Culinary talents benefit March of Dimes. Dr. and Mrs. Hai-Shiuh Wang showed off their culinary talents to raise funds for the Western Reserve Chapter of the March of Dimes during its fourth annual “Gourmet Gala” Saturday night at the Avalon Inn in Howland. The Wangs’ specialty, chicken with vegetables in a bird nest, was among nine dishes created by “celebrity chefs.”
Caption button
All Projects

Florence from Ohio

Florence from Ohio

Stevie Wang-Breal

Stevie Wang-Breal

Stevie Wang-Breal’s Florence from Ohio is a real-life, genre-twisting film about her mother, Florence Wang, who immigrated from Taipei, Taiwan to Youngstown, Ohio, where she became a pillar of the largely white community. Flaunting her St. John suits and making regular appearances on the local 1980s TV cooking show, Florence carved out her own version of the American Dream.

In this work, Wang-Breal transforms herself into “Beta-Florence,” a radical recreation of her mother. Blending dreamy nostalgia with humor and heart, Florence from Ohio is a poetic exploration of immigration, assimilation, Taiwanese American identity, and the complex bonds between mothers and daughters.

Florence from Ohio premiered on November 8, 2026, at the San Diego Asian Film Festival.

 

 

 

Award Year:

2020

Discipline:

Documentary Film, Video Art, Moving Image

Premiere details:

San Diego Asian Film Festival, San Diego, CA, November 2026

The Vindicator photograph circa 1985. Florence Wang, dressed in a St. John Knit suit, is elected as President of the YWCA, Youngstown chapter.
Caption button
Florence Wang, along with two Iron Chefs from Taipei, Taiwan, leads a cooking class at the Mahoning County Vocational School.
Caption button
Mrs. Wang films inside a steel factory in Youngstown, Ohio.
Caption button
Mrs. Wang visits the Campbell Steel Factory.
Caption button
Caption button
Caption button

About Stevie Wang-Breal

Brooklyn, NY

Stephanie Wang-Breal, dressed in a St. John knitwear suit, reflects upon the vast collection of American art on display at the Butler Institute of American Art. A first-generation Chinese American from Youngstown, OH, Stevie Wang-Breal uses film as a tool to subvert the narrative. She has directed three feature length films: the award-winning Wo Ai Ni Mommy, Tough Love, and the award-winning Blowin’ Up. She has also directed commercials and short form content with talents and brands such as Tan Dun, Planned Parenthood, Minwax, ESPN, Tiffany & Co, Verifone, and Apple. Wang-Breal’s independent work has been supported and recognized by the Sundance Institute, the Ford Foundation, and featured at the Tribeca Film Festival. Wang-Breal was awarded a 2019 Chicken and Egg Award, and she is the mother of two children.

A first-generation Chinese American from Youngstown, OH, Stevie Wang-Breal uses film as a tool to subvert the narrative. She has directed three feature length films: the award-winning Wo Ai Ni Mommy, Tough Love, and the award-winning Blowin’ Up. She has also directed commercials and short form content with talents and brands such as Tan Dun, Planned Parenthood, Minwax, ESPN, Tiffany & Co, Verifone, and Apple. Wang-Breal’s independent work has been supported and recognized by the Sundance Institute, the Ford Foundation, and featured at the Tribeca Film Festival. Wang-Breal was awarded a 2019 Chicken and Egg Award, and she is the mother of two children.

stephaniewangbreal.com onceinabluefilm.com
Stephanie Wang-Breal, dressed in a St. John knitwear suit, reflects upon the vast collection of American art on display at the Butler Institute of American Art.