Asians and Asian Americans were some of U.S. cinema’s first subjects and first creators; they are also among its most interesting contemporary voices. This course introduces students to the history of Asian American media-making from the early twentieth century to the present. We will NOT focus on stereotypes in mainstream media. Instead, we’ll examine how the work of Asian American filmmakers (especially women and queers of color) actively resists, complicates, and reimagines what “Asian American” can mean.

Screenings will range from pre-code Hollywood films to studio musicals, community video, independent cinema, television, and the internet. Filmmakers to be studied may include Wayne Wang, Mira Nair, Gurinder Chadha, Trinh T. Minh-ha, Bing Liu, Jon Moritsugu, Isabel Sandoval, and Andrew Ahn.

Course Requirements:

Expected weekly workload: read scholarly articles (25-30 pages); view films (90 mins to 2 hours); write a short response (250 words); and engage with your peers in class discussion. Major assignments will include a midterm and final exam based on essay questions.

Intended Audience:

Anyone interested in gaining familiarity with the past, present, and future of minority filmmaking and the cultural politics of Asian American communities.

Class Format:

This will be an in-person discussion-based course.

The course meets in person and will not be recorded. Readings and films will be available on Canvas.

Assessment for this course will be asynchronous and will consist of submitting essays on Canvas. Any other homework will be submitted via Canvas during a designated time frame.