There has been notable progress in Asian American representation in film over the past few years. One author explores how the journey to this point wasn't always easy.
- Who is he? Jeff Yang is a writer and author, who has explored Asian American communities and cultures for several decades.
What's the big deal? Yang's newest book is The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America — a collection of cultural commentary on the state of Asian American representation in our media.
- The book selects more than 130 films over the last century, and invites contributors like author Preeti Chhibber to reflect on how some of their favorite films shaped their own identities as Asian Americans.
- It includes a foreword from Michelle Yeoh and an afterword by Jon M. Chu.
What are people saying? Yang and Chhibber sat down with All Things Considered host Ailsa Chang to talk about the need for this book, the stories recounted and the state of Asian American film today.
On why the book felt necessary:
On why including foreign films was necessary to convey the Asian American experience:
On their hopes for the next breakthrough in Asian American cinema:
Want more on books? Listen to Consider This on how book bans in the U.S. are taking an emotional and financial toll on librarians
So, what now?
- Chhibber says that having a variety of Asian American voices creating art leaves more room for opportunity and experimentation.
- "Being able to recognize that creators from our community can make film or create art that doesn't have to be associated with identity is something that I think could be very exciting."
- The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America is available now.
Learn more:
- 3 new poetry collections taking the pulse of the times
- 'The Reformatory' tells a story of ghosts, abuse, racism — and sibling love
- In 'White Holes,' Carlo Rovelli takes readers beyond the black hole horizon
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