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, Jon Moritsugu, Isabel Sandoval, Wu Tsang, and Andrew Ahn.

Course Requirements:

Expected weekly workload: read 1-2 scholarly articles (20-30 pages); view 1 film (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 short answer exam and a zine final project.

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:

Instruction Mode: As a DC (Distance due to COVID) course, all aspects of this course will be fully compatible with remote online learning.

Learning Mode: The weekly lectures for this course will be recorded and made available asynchronously. We will also have a weekly discussion on Zoom that requires synchronous participation. Lectures, readings, and screenings will be available on Canvas. Students should have access to a camera and microphone for Zoom.

Course Testing/Assessment: Testing for this course will be asynchronous and will consist of short answer and essay questions that will be submitted via Canvas during a designated time frame. Other homework will be submitted via Canvas during a designated time frame.