Experiencing Interruptions?

I, Chinese

Logline: An influencer famous for his racist Chinese impressions faces consequences when his family gets involved.

Synopsis: Ken Wong is an influencer, famous online for his racist Chinese impressions - thick accent, flowing oriental robe, and a rice hat - the full package. It's an exaggerated impression of his distant father, a secret he keeps from his family.

One day, Ken is filming yet another video of him being a public nuisance at a grocery store - trying to sell a bag of rice to the cashier - but is caught off guard by a Chinese man and his young daughter, watching him from the aisles. A wave of self consciousness washes over him, though he disregards them and goes about his day.

Ken later begrudgingly attends a Chinese New Year dinner with his father - but as he approaches the table, he notices two familiar faces - the man and his daughter from the grocery store - his distant uncle and cousin.

Thrust into a crisis of both reputation and identity, Ken must do everything in his power to prevent his Dad from finding out about his behavior, and must face what it really means to be Chinese.

  • Keith Leung
    Director
  • Keith Leung
    Writer
  • Menny Son
    Producer
  • Nas Aidid
    Producer
  • Reece Daniels
    Producer
    Damien's Gym
  • Keith Leung
    Producer
  • Julie Zhao
    Producer
    Dreamline
  • Chin Ho Fung
    Key Cast
    "Ken Wong"
  • James Tam
    Key Cast
    "Dad"
  • Dominic Wong
    Key Cast
    "Third Uncle"
  • Nima Pollio
    Key Cast
    "Noodle"
  • Clint Pang
    Cinematographer
    Marvin Is Sorry
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Comedy, Drama
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    8,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English, Yue Chinese (Cantonese)
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - New York University
  • DGA Student Film Awards
    New York, NY
    United States
    Jury Award Winner
  • Chicago International Film Festival - CineYouth
    Chicago
    United States
    April 21, 2024
    World Premiere
  • Durban International Film Festival
    Durban
    South Africa
    July 20, 2024
    International Premiere
  • First Run Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    April 6, 2024
    Faculty Commendation for Filmmaking
  • Panavision New Filmmakers Grant
    New York
    United States
Director Biography - Keith Leung

Keith Leung is a writer / director from Hong Kong, currently based in New York. Raised by the films of 1980s Hollywood, Keith's work blends his eastern and western sensibilities, with humor at the heart of every story.

His recent film, "I, Chinese," was a recipient of the Panavision New Filmmakers Grant and received the Jury Prize at the DGA Student Film Awards. Elsewhere, his work has screened at Academy Award-qualifying film festivals and showcased on publications like FilmShortage, Beyond the Short, and Curation Hour. Keith recently graduated from New York University with a BFA in Film & Television Production.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Maybe it was "Crazy Rich Asians." Maybe it was "Everything Everywhere..." that was the final straw. Whoever it was, whether we like it or not, "Asian films" are becoming a genre.

Over my time at NYU, I grew increasingly bitter about this. Another "emotionally unavailable dad" film? Another "dying grandma" film? You don't have an altar in your house in real life. What gives you the right to make this movie? To me, my Asian peers were "upping their Asian-ness" to appeal to an American audience. To make themselves feel better about being Westernized. To me, this was the same as wearing a rice hat and doing an accent.

I started developing "I, Chinese" based on this sentiment - cultural insecurity - a phenomenon that plagues Asian Americans and other third culture kids everywhere. But draft after draft, I found that the story lacked authenticity - lacked honesty.

On a trip back to Hong Kong, I noticed through my interactions with my extended family that I too, after spending so much time in the West, had become Westernized. A wave of insecurity washed over me - and that was when I realized that the cultural insecurity I was so critical of was something that I had myself. I started writing my character with more empathy - and that's when my story started coming together.

The cornerstone of a culture is family. No matter where you're from. It doesn't matter if you can't speak the language as well as others. It doesn't matter if you're not in tune with the pop culture. Your family will accept you, no matter how disconnected you are. Don't stress yourself out.