Within the past five years, we’ve seen some much overdue representation of diversity, not just onscreen but also behind the scenes, specifically in the director’s chair. For decades, the industry has been dominated by men, especially of the older, white, straight demographic. This is especially apparent in award seasons. For example, in the Academy Awards alone, onlythree female directors have won the coveted Oscar for Directingin its ninety-four years of history.
Thankfully, the past few years have seen a rise in not just female directors but also Asian female directors and their films that gaining recognition for their work. And that’s not just in the awards circuit. Quite a few of these films have become a part of mainstream culture, which has provided unprecedented opportunities for diverse storytelling. In the season of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month, these ten movies highlight female Asian directors and their talent and impact in the industry.
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Destroyer by Karyn Kusama
Kicking off the list is the 2018 crime dramaDestroyer, which was directed byKaryn Kusama. The story focuses on an LAPD detective, Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman), who realizes that an old gang she was involved with in an undercover case has come back to haunt her. This sends her on a mission to track down the remaining gang members to finally put their case to rest.
Prior to this movie, Kusama was also known for some memorable films from the 2000s including the 2005 live-action adaption ofÆon FluxwithCharlize Theronand the 2009 cult classicJennifer’s BodystarringMegan Fox. She’s very familiar with female-led stories of a gritty or violent nature and manages to balance fast-paced action and serious reflective moments. The movie’s success is also credited to Kidman’s robust performance as she disappears into the role of the tortured detective. The rest of the talented cast includesSebastian Stan(Captain America: The Winter Soldier) andTatiana Maslany(Orphan Black) who further help to make this bleak setting immersive with their performances. This gripping film is available for purchase or rental on Apple TV and Google Play.
Blinded by the Light by Gurinder Chadha
Switching gears to a lighter tone, we have the 2019 drama-comedyBlinded by the Lightby Indian-British directorGurinder Chadha. Its story is set in 80s England where Pakistani-British teenager, Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra), wishes for more in life given the hardships of economic struggle and unemployment that affect his family, along with the rampant racism that Pakistani and Muslim people experience in Britain. The shining beacons of hope for him are his writing andBruce Springsteen’s music.
Blinded by the Lightis a joyful addition to Chadha’s repertoire of heartfelt coming-of-age tales, joining the likes of her iconic films such as the 2002 sports filmBend It Like Beckhamand the 2004 Bollywood-infused adaptionBride and Prejudice. Her impact was already breaking barriers by including Indian female protagonists and Indian culture at the forefront of her films. She provides the same for Javed, who endures the clash of his cultural identity, stemming from the Asian immigrant experience of being dutiful to one’s family but also wanting to pursue a personal dream. Ultimately, it’s a story with a happy ending, considering it’s based on the life of Pakistani-British journalistSarfraz Manzoorwho helped write the script. This upbeat love letter to the 80s and Asian British immigrants can be streamed on HBO Max.
Lucky Grandma by Sasie Sealy
Chinese-American directorSasie Sealymade her directorial debut atTribeca Film Festivalwith her dark comedyLucky Grandma.It follows the titular Grandma Wong (Tsai Chin), a cynical, recently widowed Chinese woman who visits an Atlantic City casino after being told by her neighborhood fortune-teller (Wai Ching Ho) that her “lucky day is coming”.
Unfortunately, the predicted luck goes sideways as Grandma gets caught up in a mafia war that leads her into some trouble. It’s not every day that a film’s lead character is of Asian background or let alone, the elderly demographic. Sealy delivers a charming and refreshing story that allows Chin to shine in such an entertaining role. It’s also remarkable to see how an American-set film had a majority of the dialogue in Mandarin, which still engages the audience in Grandma’s situation. Such a simple premise ends up entailing a crazy adventure that reminds the audience of the film’s major tagline to “respect your elders”. This compelling and delightful film is available for rental or purchase on Apple TV and Amazon.
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Yellow Rose by Diane Paragas
Providing recentFilipino representationis the Filipino-American directorDiane Paragaswith her 2019 filmYellow Rose. The movie is centered on Rose Garcia (Eva Noblezada), a Filipina teenager who wants to pursue her dream of being a country singer while living in Texas. Similar toBlinding of the Light, Rose faces a lot of hardship especially as an immigrant when her mother, Priscilla (Princess Punzalan) is taken away by ICE officers. This forces Rose to make ends meet and contemplate the worth of her dream.
Paragas beautifully captures this coming-of-age story through the weaving of its original country soundtrack (with some key songs sung by Noblezada - a Broadway actress) throughout the story. The film also demonstrates the reality of immigrant experiences where Rose’s mother had to work hard before being taken away due to being deemed an illegal immigrant. On the other hand, Rose’s Tita Gail (Lea Salonga) lives comfortably after marrying a white man and has completely assimilated to the American lifestyle. There’s no denying the power of music and a moving underdog story in this movie, which is also available for purchase or rental on Amazon or Apple TV.
Always Be My Maybe by Nahnatchka Khan
Another one of the lighthearted films on this list is the 2019 Netflix rom-comAlways Be My Maybe, directed by Iranian-American directorNahnatchka Khan. The film starsAli WongandRandall Parkwho also both wrote the screenplay due to being long-time friends since the 90s, and reportedly wanting to develop “[the Asian] version ofWhen Harry Met Sally…”. The story follows Sasha (Wong) and Marcus (Park) who were childhood friends who were briefly romantic in their teenage years before separating after an argument. After 15 years, they reunite as adults where they’re both at different stages of their lives but decide to rekindle their friendship and see what will happen.
Khan was picked for the project with her connection to Park as the creator and executive producer of the sitcomFresh off the Boat. The film marked her directorial debut where she rightfully exercises her experience as a comedy writer and producer forAmerican Dad!and the short-lived sitcomDon’t Trust the B____ in Apartment 23. The film has an easy flow of laughs thanks to Wong and Park’s chemistry and even an appearance byKeanu Reevesin an absurd but meme-worthy role. Khan also highlights the Vietnamese and Korean cultures of Sasha and Marcus, which serves as excellent Asian representation in the rom-com genre that rarely had Asian leads until the 2018 filmCrazy Rich Asians. Following the success ofAlways Be My Maybe, she went on to produce and direct Wong’s third comedy special titledAli Wong: Don Wong. Khan is also currently working on her next directorial project,Totally Killer, a horror comedy. Until then, Khan’s refreshing rom-com can be streamed on Netflix.
The Farewell by Lulu Wang
Returning to the independent film circuit, 2019 also delivered a poignant and personal feature film from Chinese-American directorLulu Wang.The Farewellfocuses on a Chinese family reconciling with the unfortunate diagnosis of terminal cancer of their grandma, Nai Nai (Shuzhen Zhao). They decide to not burden her with the news and instead stage a wedding within the family as a final reunion, much to the dismay of Billi (Awkwafina), the American-raised granddaughter. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2019 and gained lots of accolades, with Awkwafina’s dramatic performance earning her a Golden Globe win as Best Leading Actress.
What made this film special was that the plot was based on a true story of Wang’s own life, specifically the time when her grandma was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. This only enhanced the melancholic tone of the film and the very real issue of cultural identity for first-generation Asian Americans when confronted with traditional values. Wang further manages to create such a grounded family of characters that wrestle with the conflict of lying about Nai Nai’s condition for the sake of blissful ignorance. This sentimental film is available for purchase or rental on Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube.
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Birds of Prey by Cathy Yan
Within the comic book movie realm, women have thankfully had the chance to direct quite a few films, especially those focusing on female characters. It was the same for the 2020 spin-off filmBirds of Prey, which was led by Chinese-American directorCathy Yan. The film was certainly one of the more fun entries into the DC Extended Universe, following Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) after the events ofSuicide Squad.
After her break-up with the Joker, Harley gets involved with a young pickpocket named Cass (Ella Jay Basco) who stole a diamond that crime lord Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) is seeking. Along the way, she teams up with three other fighters, Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett), Huntress (Mary Elizabeth-Winstead), and Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), who are all connected to the cause of stopping Roman. Following the release of female-led comic book films likeWonder WomanandCaptain Marvel,Birds of Preywas an excellent addition that went the further step in presenting an all-female team. The movie also did a great job in reinventing and properly developing Harley Quinn as a character beyond the sexualized, one-note depiction inSuicide Squad. Here, she thrives in experiencing a fully-fledged arc without being attached to the Joker and even finds some camaraderie with the next DC female heroes in line. Yan’s excellence in directing a talented ensemble carried over to when she got to direct an episode of the HBO seriesSuccessionduring its third season. For a vibrant and entertaining blockbuster,Birds of Preycan be streamed on HBO Max.
Reminiscence by Lisa Joy
Another feature film produced by Warner Bros., this movie was the directorial debut of Taiwanese-American writer and producerLisa Joy. The story ofReminiscenceis set in the near future where Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman) is a specialist who helps people relive their memories through special technology. He eventually meets Mae (Rebecca Ferguson), who he falls in love with, and they pursue a relationship until she disappears months later and ignites a mystery that Nick gets caught in.
Joy is no stranger to mind-bending sci-fi stories since she is also one of the creators and producers of the hit HBO seriesWestworldwith her husbandJonathan Nolan(brother ofChristopher Nolan). Similar to the series, she creates a thrilling mystery that unfolds from the perspective of the obsessed protagonist trying to find answers. The film takes on a noir style that is also reminiscent of other movies such asMementoorChinatown. ThoughReminiscencereceived some negative scores from critics, Joy puts her earnest effort into the movie with an enigmatic and unique plot, along with strong performances from Jackman and Ferguson. The evocative film can be streamed on HBO Max.
Eternals by Chloé Zhao
Following Cathy Yan,Chloé Zhaowas the next Asian female director in line to lead another comic book movie, which was the 2021 Marvel filmEternals. Coming off the heels of a successful award season for her 2020 filmNomadland, major hype surrounded the new addition to Phase 4 of the MCU, especially after the Chinese director won the prestigious Best Director Oscar (in turn, becoming the second woman ever in Oscars history to win the award).
Eternalsis an origin story film that concentrates on a group of super-powered, godly beings who have remained on Earth since the dawn of humanity. Having separated across the globe and lived in secret for millennia, they are called to reunite once more when dangerous creatures called Deviants resurface. With the film drawing from an obscure comic book series, it was a whole new scope of lore and characters to explore, which resulted in a mixed reaction from the public. Despite receiving a polarizing reception among the critics and audience,Eternalswas one of the most ambitious and unique entries in the MCU that dared to break away from the set formula of Marvel movies. Zhao contributed philosophical themes and stunning on-location visuals to create an epic globe-trotting, family drama with a specially picked cast packed full of talented stars and diversity.Eternalsbroke several barriers as it includeddeaf representationin the character Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) and evenLGBTQ+ representationwith Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry) and his husband Ben (Haaz Sleiman). The epic tale can be streamed on Disney+.
Turning Red by Domee Shi
Capping off the list is the feel-good animated feature filmTurning Red, which was directed by Chinese-born Canadian animatorDomee Shi. She already has an impressive resume working under Disney and Pixar as a storyboard artist for films likeInside OutandToy Story 4. Most notably, she was the director for the animated shortBao, a story following a Chinese-Canadian mother who takes care of a handmade dumpling that comes to life and helps her deal with her sadness after her real son moves out. The short film earned Shi an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film and soon enough led her toTurning Red.
The movie follows Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who carefully balances her straight-A schoolwork, social life with her boy-band obsessed BFFs, and duty to help her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh). However, a family curse throws a spanner in the works since it causes her to transform into a giant red panda. BetweenBaoandTurning Red, Shi nails the use of Asian-themed metaphors that hold depths of meaning that are both universal but also specifically relevant to Asian audiences. Whether it be the close-knit nature of Asian parent and child relationships or the conflict between one’s Asian and assimilated cultural identity, Shi delivers beautiful and profound stories through the medium of animation. This adorable family movie can be streamed on Disney+.
