Welcome to the Reel Diaspora Archive

Project Mission

In the world of films, stories of immigration and the diaspora often remain in the shadows, particularly those crafted by women directors. Despite increasing recognition, these filmmakers remain underrepresented, their narratives and experiences are often overlooked in mainstream film discourse. This project aims to spotlight some often-unseen aspects of film production by creating a digital memories archive that features the narratives of ten women directors and their films, which profoundly shape East Asian diasporic experiences in North America. It offers a platform to amplify these unique voices and share the stories, struggles, and joys behind the scenes of their critical works.

Explore the Archive

Go back 30 years with the 1994 film Double Happiness by Mina Shum, a heartwarming story of cultural identity and personal discovery. Enjoy this trailer and explore the full collection of ten trailers showcasing the works of ten women directors.

Journey through the careers of ten women directors, from Mina Shum's Double Happiness to Celine Song's Past Lives. Each profile page includes tagged-annotations made by me on interviews, articles, blogs, podcasts in which these directors share the behind-the-scene stories. The annotations on each director's page are currently work-in-progress. This project serves as a tech demonstration, showcasing the potential for digital dialogues between directors, audiences, and future readers through detailed annotations. To explore this feature, click on the audience icon on each Behind-the-Scene page. This will allow you to access a corresponding review that speaks to the directors' ideas.

Explore the world of movie reviews to showcase distinctive perspectives from audiences of the ten films.

The Real Diaspora Timeline

Welcome to the Reel Diaspora timeline, where you can explore the intersection of cinema and history through the films of women directors focusing on East Asian diasporic narratives in North America. Discover how each film, placed within its release year, reflects and responds to significant events related to immigration and minorities. Navigate through time to uncover behind-the-scene stories and historical contexts, gaining a deeper understanding of how these films contribute to the discourse on identity, culture, and belonging.