The Filmscape Reverie

By: Maria Cieslarczyk

Times have changed in Hollywood, and as an Asian-American, my soul is ablaze with excitement and determination. As filmmakers and film viewers, the integrity of our craft has evolved dramatically in the past hundred years, with a pressing need for diversity and inclusion at the forefront of this artistic progression.

A mega reason my heart was set in stone on creating this film magazine was because I wanted to connect with other BIPOC folks in the media and entertainment industry. Because AAPI in film have faced larger-than-life obstacles when it comes to overcoming racial stereotypes and proving that we are more than the societal generalizations we’ve come to witness ourselves in through the lens of Western cinema.

My senior thesis for my film studies minor was titled “Beyond the Dragon Lens: The Historical Evolution of The Asian-American Identity & Experience in Hollywood Cinema.” It explores the long-standing history in film and TV shows of AAPI, from appearing as caricatures in black-and-white nickelodeon theaters in the early twentieth century; to becoming kung fu warriors; or evil villains who desire to take over the world; or promiscuous foreigners in the late ‘70s and ‘80s.  And eventually, the transition to fully-fledged multi-dimensional characters and heroes for blockbuster films for The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, and Warner Media.

That being said, I’ll touch more about the evolution of this so-called “dragon lens” in another article. For now, my focus is on the extraordinary rise over recent years of Asian film appreciation (whether it be for Asian-American films exploring multifaceted identities such as Crazy Rich Asians (2018) or Netflix’s The Brothers Sun (2024), or the increased popularity of purely Asian-based stories (ex: anime and K-dramas)).

Award-winning shows like the dramatic dark comedy Beef (2023) starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, to Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action series (2023) to Pachinko (2022) have all gained national attention and well-deserved praise in the past couple of years. The quality of filmmaking speaks for itself, however another aspect of this rise of Asian story appreciation stems from the increase of actual Asian storytellers themselves. Western cinema is seeing a significant transition in the industry, with AAPI folx at the forefront and leading the charge for more inclusive stories and characters, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Nothing beats a good story…which is why seeing characters that aren’t painted as black-and-white stereotypes, but rather complex people struggling to come to terms with who they are, is 10 x more likely to garner attention from audiences of ALL walks of life. The film Everything, Everywhere, All At Once (2022) starring Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan does just this, leading to its well-deserved Oscar win for Best Picture. Apart from encouraging audiences to find appreciation of life in all its strange forms, the creative cinematography immediately captures our minds and takes us on these bizarre adventures alongside our unlikely hero.

Another film featuring a multi-layered Asian-American protagonist is the drama film Minari (2020), which focuses on a Korean family immigrating to Arkansas in search of their own American dream. Coming from an immigrant family myself, watching this movie was a breath of fresh air as I connected deeply with the themes of self-discovery and aspiring to fit into my predominantly White suburban neighborhood while treasuring my cultural roots. Stories like these are not only inspiring, but also provide a critical perspective into the struggles that others deal with. These types of films not only add another layer to the Asian-American identity, but also help pave the way for healthy dialogue on societal issues such as immigration, assimilation, and diverse community.

Furthermore, the rise of Asian film appreciation can’t be done without the rise of (you guessed it!) Kdramas and Korean shows. My Lola and I are actually obsessed with watching Korean shows on Netflix at the moment (especially ones with action and adventure). Our favorites include King: Eternal Monarch (2020), Bloodhounds (2023), and Parasyte: The Grey (2023). Not to mention, my friends and I binge-watching fuzzy Kdrama romances such as Business Proposal (2021) or My Demon (2023). A reason why millions of people continuously stream these Kdramas is because of the set story structure (typically 8-16 episodes which lay out enough time for well-developed characters) as well as the feel-good themes of family, chemistry between leads, and depicting overcoming larger cultural issues such as discrimination. It also strikes intrigue as it provides a window into Korean culture and how life is lived.

Southeastern Asian films have also come to bask in the spotlight in recent years. Netflix and other streaming services include Filipino films that expand accessibility to broader audiences across the globe. My family particularly enjoys Filipino horror films as we are quite superstitious and enjoy the themes of courage and teamwork when facing impossible odds (especially if it means facing a monster or two!)

Although we as a society still have so much more work to do in creating safe spaces for increased diverse AAPI representation, it is incredible to witness this growth in the film industry. It’s refreshing to fall in love with these eye-opening stories on screen, and I hope that we continue to pave the way for more inclusive stories to be told that can be enjoyed by audiences of all kinds.