Much has changed from the 1990s to now in the film industry for the AANHPI community. Chris Chan Lee is a key proponent that has inspired many Asian Americans to pursue filmmaking since his groundbreaking feature, "Yellow." On this episode, Chris and Rasha talk about his journey, how the film landscape has changed, and how it can still be improved.
Chris is a Korean-American filmmaker based in Los Angeles, C He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts and has spent his career of over 25 years developing and producing Asian-American content. His debut feature film as writer/director was "Yellow" (1997), a coming of age movie about a group of teens in Los Angeles. The film features the first performances of John Cho and Jason Tobin, and re-envisioned the American teen comedy with an ensemble of Asian-Americans in the lead roles. "Yellow" world premiered at the 1997 CAAMFest Film Festival (then called NAATA) with three sold-out screenings, and was selected for more than a dozen film festivals including Raindance U.K., Slamdance, Singapore International, Hawaii International, and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film won the Gold Carp 1st Place Audience Award for Best Feature Film and the Golden Reel Award for Best Independent Feature Film. "Yellow" had a successful limited national theatrical release including a 5-week run in Southern California across 9 screens. He served twice as a judge for the Filmmakers Media Fund Initiative at CAAMFest, and was an independent filmmaker panelist at events hosted by KASCON (Korean American Students Conference), WGA (Writers Guild of America), LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, and a number of other professional and community organizations. The film is considered a milestone in Asian American filmmaking.
Diving into Tales and Capturing Dreams through Film and Underwater Photography - 4X8
Healing Hearts, Serving Communities, Inspiring Hope - 4 x 7
Dive into the Melodic World of Maki Mae - Where Virtuosity Meets Diversity in Every Note | 4x6
Unleash the Action - From Script to Scene, Crafting Impactful Stories | 4x5
Mastering Flavors, Defying Limits – A Culinary Journey Beyond Sight | 4x4
Illuminating Histories, Fostering Connections – One Mural at a Time | 4x3
Weaving Stories, Shaping Culture, Inspiring Change | 4x2
Rediscover, Reflect, and Reconnect: Season Premiere with Hosts Rasha, Sasha and Joanne 4x01
Amit and Vineesha Arora-Sarin: Dreamweavers: Crafting On & Off Screen Magic | 3x36
Maru Kim: Bridging Cultures, One Mic at a Time | 3x35
Illuminating humanity through laughter and narratives | 3x34
Geeranan Chuersanga: Connecting Global Thai Community through Art | 3x33
Envisioning Connectivity and Redefinition in the World of Public Relations | 3x32
Fostering Connection and Positivity through Coffee Culture and Heartwarming Content | 3x31
Kathy Khang: Inspiring Change, One Voice at a Time | 3x30
Empowering communities, uplifting futures: Dante Dauz, a Catalyst for Change | 3x29
Spreading Smiles and Joy: Kathleen Kim’s Sesame Street Magic | 3x28
Flavors Unleashed: Cheetie Kumar’s Culinary Adventure | 3x27
Shaping the World of Autobiographical Comics and Amplifying Underrepresented Voices | 3x26
Capturing the Essence of Celebrities in Timeless Portraits through the Lens of Peter Yang | 3x25
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