Anna May Wong: In Her Own Words

Star of both silent and sound pictures, Chinese American actress Anna May Wong lent her unmatched talent to such lauded works as Shanghai Express alongside Marlene Dietrich. She was the first Chinese American movie star, and started out in silent films at age 17. Anna May went on to make dozens of films in Hollywood, London, and Berlin. She was glamorous, talented, and cosmopolitan. Yet she spent most of her career typecast either as a painted doll or a scheming dragon lady.

Filmmaker Yunah Hong paints a vivid portrait of a Hollywood original, narrated in Anna May’s own words by actress Doan Ly. Excerpts from Anna May’s films, archival photographs, and interviews enhance this richly detailed picture of a woman and her times.
—Melissa Bisagni

Preceded by:

Seven Chinese Canadian filmmakers from the Toronto area (Lesley Loksi Chan, Lillian Chan, Aram Siu Wai Collier, Heather Keung, Serena Lee, Howie Shia, and Joyce Wong) were asked to create a film that answers the question, “What is your Chinatown?” The resulting works are insightful and complex bursts of creative contemplation, both personal and universal, that are beautifully tied together with the musical composition of Arthur Yeung.

Ten years later, three individuals look back on the impact that September 11has had on them and their home, New York City’s Chinatown.

Share