There are very few well-known Asian American filmmakers in Hollywood. The exceptions include Taiwanese directors Ang Lee and Justin Lin. However, a recent article in Policy Mic by Dana Ter highlights a group of young Asian American filmmakers who are moving beyond the one-dimensional portrayals of Asian people in the media and creating new space for Asian Americans in the entertainment industry.
These filmmakers have won critical acclaim and awards in film festivals across the country. The list includes Korean American filmmaker, Andrew Ahn, who shocked viewers at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival premiere of his short film Dol, in which he revealed to his parents that he was gay. Another filmmaker featured is Steven J. Kung, who highlights racism in the entertainment industry in his film A Leading Man, which screened at the Hawaii International Film Festival and Austin Film Festival in 2013.
To see the full list, read the article at Policy Mic.
You can look forward to Dana Ter’s article in AsAmNews on Asian American women filmmakers in the coming weeks.
A Leading Man Trailer from Chris Witt on Vimeo.
