California Documentary Project
Hollywood Chinese
Film Arts Foundation San FranciscoProject Director: Arthur Dong
A film history of Chinese Americans in Hollywood
This film by Arthur Dong weaves together a portrait of the actors, directors and personalities who have defined American filmmaking, from the silent era to the current new wave of Asian American cinema. It premiered at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival in March 2007.
In the film, Dong explores the long-untold stories behind the faces who have graced the silver screen, from Anna May Wong to Nancy Kwan, from James Hong to B.D. Wong, as well as those who have made their mark behind the camera, from famed cinematographer James Wong Howe to directors Ang Lee and Justin Lin. What emerges is a rich and complicated tapestry, one marked by unforgettable performances and groundbreaking films and by a tangled history of race and repression.
Dong’s previous films include Sewing Woman and Forbidden City, U.S.A. Dong’s films are developed, produced and distributed through his own company, Deep Focus Productions.