Logline:

The house his father built promised greatness — but as a boy watched it crumble around his family, he glimpsed the strength to build something better.

synopsis:

“The Greatest House My Father Built" is a poignant short film that follows a family's life within a house constructed by their father. As they move in, the house becomes a canvas for their dreams and struggles.

The father’s determination to create a paradise — complete with a koi pond and an aviary for pigeons — reflects his aspirations. Yet as tensions rise within the family, the house begins to mirror their unraveling.

As the tragedies unfold, the child protagonist reflects on life within these walls, uncovering the complexities of love, loss, and growth in the spaces we call home.

overview

Genre: Animation, Documentary
Category: Family, Biography, Coming-of-age
Runtime: 11 minutes
Format: 4:3 digital
Language: Hakka
Subtitles: English
Country: Malaysia
Release Date: Early 2027

Be Part of the Story

A passion project by three brothers

An animated documentary short film that combines

2D Hand-drawn Animation
+
Game Footage
+
A True Story from Malaysia

“This film draws from my memories of a house meant to hold my family together but tore us apart. Making it helped me find meaning in those growing pains. I believe its universal themes can spark dialogue about unspoken family struggles and show how something beautiful can grow from the ruins. ”

King Yaw Soon

Director - Writer - Animator - Editor

Hailing from Malaysia, King Yaw Soon is a filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist whose films have been featured at Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, Cinequest, and SF DocFest. Living in San Francisco, he also shapes global game culture through his editorial work at Electronic Arts, crafting acclaimed trailers for The Sims 4 and EA Sports FC.

Past Films

Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, JAPAN 2021
Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia National Tour, JAPAN 2021
San Francisco Documentary Festival, USA 2021
Nòt Film Fest, ITALY 2022
Lampa International Film Festival, RUSSIA 2021
Hawaii International Film Festival, USA 2021
Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, USA 2021
Boston Asian American Film Festival, USA 2021
Austin Asian American Film Festival, USA 2021
DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, USA 2021
Houston Asian American & Pacific Islander Film Festival, USA 2021
Featured on Malaysian National Newspaper

Cinequest Film Festival, USA 2019
CAAMFest, USA 2019
6th Season of KQED Film School Shorts, USA
San Francisco Indie ShortsFest, USA 2019
Houston Asian American Film Festival, USA 2019
Boston Asian American Film Festival, USA 2019
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest, USA 2019
Represent Film Festival, USA 2019

Campus MovieFest “National Best Picture”, USA 2017
Campus MovieFest Showcase at Cannes Court Métrage, FRANCE 2017
Seeker Stories Documentary Finalist, USA 2017
Reno Tahoe International Film Festival, USA 2017
Utah Film Festival And Awards, USA 2018

Meet the team.

Allison Kim • Producer

Korean-born and based in San Francisco, Allison works at Pixar by day and explores music by night. Her blend of animation storytelling and sonic narrative brings a distinctive, artful precision to film production.
Jackson Soon • Music Composer

Since age five, Jackson Soon has excelled in competitive singing. Now a UCSI University student, he expands into composition, with his debut for Yello premiering at the 2021 Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia.
Ellie • Art Director

Ellie, also known as SillyJellie, is a Kuala Lumpur–based illustrator and muralist whose work includes concept art for No Straight Roads, posters for Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, and murals for Subway. Instagram @ellietophia
Morgan Bernados • Marketing Coordinator

When not at her nonprofit 9-5 job, Morgan is a Bay Area photographer, content creator, and professional hype woman.
instagram & tik tok: @morganbernados