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May 23, 20233 min read

AAPI Heritage Month: Highlighting AAPI Filmmakers

Updated: Feb 26, 2024



Mira Nair

Mira Nair is an Indian-American filmmaker whose films explore themes of cultural identity, gender, and sexuality in her portrayal of South Asian culture. She gained international recognition for her debut film Salaam Bombay! in 1988 and has since directed numerous acclaimed films, in addition to being involved in theater and television, and advocating for social justice issues.



Nair's films often delve into the complexities of identity for South Asian women and navigate the tension between tradition and modernity. In her own words, Nair shares her perspective:


"I have always felt the need to depict strong, independent women in my films who are constantly negotiating their place in the world, their heritage, their traditions, and yet they have a mind of their own."


Films like Monsoon Wedding exemplify Nair's exploration of these themes as she portrays experiences of South Asian women from different generations and social classes, challenging stereotypes and addressing issues of gender and sexuality as they intersect with cultural identity in a rapidly changing world.


Chloé Zhao




Chloé Zhao is a Chinese-American filmmaker, writer, and producer whose work often reflects her experiences growing up between different cultures - she was born in Beijing and raised in London and the US. In 2021, Zhao became the first woman of color to win the Academy Award for Best Director for her film Nomadland, which also won Best Picture.


Zhao is known for the way her meditative and poetic films explore themes of identity loss, and implement the American landscape. Her films, which also include Songs My Brothers Taught Me, and The Rider, are praised for their empathetic storytelling and their depiction of characters and communities that are often overlooked or marginalized in mainstream cinema. She also co-wrote and directed the Marvel superhero film Eternals.


Zhao believes in the power of sharing stories: "Stories have always been the most important vehicle for change. I think it's really powerful to be able to sit in a theater and be moved by a story that you've never experienced in your own life. That's what storytelling does. It reminds us of our shared humanity, of our connections, and the fact that we're all in this together."


Alice Wu

Alice Wu is a Taiwanese-American filmmaker. She made her directorial debut with the critically acclaimed film Saving Face, which is considered a significant contribution to cinema for its nuanced portrayal of Asian-American and LGBTQ+ experiences.


After a hiatus, Wu returned with The Half of It, a poignant coming-of-age story about identity, love, and self-discovery.


Wu's work breaks barriers and uplifts underrepresented voices, and actively advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusive storytelling. In her own words, she states, "I think people are yearning for real stories, for different perspectives, and I think we have a responsibility as artists to try to create spaces for those stories to be heard."


Daniel Kwan


Daniel Kwan is one half of the American filmmaking duo referred to as “The Daniels” with Daniel Schienert, best known for the award-winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once.


They also directed the film Swiss Army Man, as well as several other shorter film and TV projects.



Kwan’s mom hails from Taiwan, and his dad is from Hong Kong. Using his voice as an Asian-American filmmaker, Kwan crafts bold, captivating narratives that transcend conventional boundaries but also adds an important cultural lens to his innovative storytelling.


Everything Everywhere All At Once showcases Kwan's ability to seamlessly blend genres and traverse different dimensions, challenging traditional narrative structures to create a truly unique and mind-bending cinematic experience.

The film explores themes of identity, existence, and interconnectedness, and also invites audiences to contemplate these profound questions from an AAPI perspective.


Image attributions

  • Daniel Kwan - CalTV, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Chloe Zhao - Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mira Nair - Zanzibar International Film Festival, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Alice Wu - Mai Le from San Francisco, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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