General and Miscellaneous Works
The Movies, Race, Ethnicity (for cinema works by Asian American filmmakers or films with images of Asian Americans
People of Mixed Race - Interracial Marriage/Dating
China, Japan, Korea, & Pacific Islands
South and South East Asia and Oceania Studies (includes videos about South/South East Asians living in countries other than the US)
- Abandoned: The Betrayal of America's Immigrants
- Looks at the most recent wave of anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States and at the personal impact of new immigration laws, focusing on the severity of current detention and deportation policies. Legal residents find themselves torn away from their American families and sent to countries they barely know while political asylum seekers are kept for years in county jails that profit from their incarceration. Directed by David Belle and Nicholas Wrathall. 2000. 55 min. DVD 6747; vhs Video/C 7695
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UC Berkeley users only - Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - Affirmative Action Under Fire: When is it Reverse Discrimination?
- The account of a reverse discrimination court case over the firing in 1989 of a white teacher in a Piscataway, New Jersey high school because of her race. Shows how this court case became a national battle for affirmative action and how affirmative action preference advocates paid the white teacher $450,000 to drop her case in order to avoid a Supreme Court decision that would potentially invalidate all affirmative action programs in the United States. Originally produced for the ABC television program Nightline aired on November 11, 1997 under the title: Black teacher, white teacher, affirmative action under fire. 22 min. Video/C 6874
- Afterbirth.
- Examination of stereotypes held by Asian Americans, which have in turn been internalized in varying degrees by Asians themselves. Drawing from a diverse set of characters, the film looks at the maturing and unpredictable relationships between inner identity and outer appearances which affect us all. 34 min. Video/C 1965
- All Orientals Look the Same.
- A brief exploration of the common misperception that all orientals look alike. 8 min. Video/C 3833
- Alleged Espionage at National Laboratories.
- U.S. Dept. of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson discusses the allegations of Chinese espionage at U.S. nuclear laboratories. He focuses on the dismissal of an employee at the Los Alamos lab due to security breaches potentially compromising nuclear weapons codes and stresses that this dismissal would not affect any other Asian-American employees in the lab. After his prepared remarks he took questions from the audience. Recorded 4/30/99 in New York City. 45 min. Video/C 6931
- America Becoming.
- Discusses the history of emigration and immigration in the United States during the 20th century. 93 min. Video/C 2329
- American Sons.
- This film is a provocative examination of how racism shapes the lives of Asian American men. Asian American actors tell real stories based on interviews with Asian Americans addressing such issues as hate violence, the stereotypes placed on Asian men, and psychological damage that racism causes over generations. 41 min. Video/C 4391
- Feng, Peter. "Redefining Asian American Masculinity: Steven Okazaki's 'American Sons.'" (Race in Contemporary American Cinema: Part 7)
Cineaste v22, n3 (Summer, 1996):27 (3 pages).
- Ancestors in the Americas: Coolies, Sailors, Settlers
- A film by Loni Ding. The untold story of how Asians--Filipino, Chinese, Asian Indian--first arrived in the Americas. Film crosses centuries and oceans from the 16th century Manila-Acapulco trade, to the Opium War, to the 19th century plantation coolie labor in South America and the Caribbean. 1996. 62 min. (Director's cut; revised edition, 2000) Video/C 7237 (earlier version of this video: Video/C 4353. 1996. 64 min.)
- Art to Art: Expressions by Asian American Women.
- Asian-American women artists Pacita Abad, Yong Soon Min, Hung Liu and Barbara Takenaga, in separate segments each discuss, and show examples of their work. 30 min. Video/C 3748
- Asian-American Discrimination on Campus.
- KRON-TV. Video/C 1327
- Asian Americans Fighting Back.
- A Panel of Asian American University professors from the University of Iowa, University of Pennsylvania, UCLA and UCB relate their personal experiences in academia with racial discrimination, sexual harassment and tenure battles. Seminar organized by the Graduate Assembly in conjunction with the Asian American Studies Program, University of California, Berkeley. Held October 13, 1991 at the University of California, Berkeley. Video/C 2572
- The Asianization of America.
- Describes the increasing role of Asians in the United States, and how this trend is shaping American society. 30 min. Video/C 1921
- Assimilation, A Simulation.
- Follows a Chinese woman, Windy Chien, in her attempt to assimilate herself into American society by changing her appearance to fit the images of beauty and desirability. She portrays the dilemma of internalized expectations in regard to definitions of beauty and gender roles. 14 min. Video/C 3832
- Banana Split: 25 Stories.
- In this film Kip Fulbeck focuses on biracial ethnicity exploration and Asian self-identity. He examines the relationship between his father who is Caucasian and his mother who is Asian and also explores ethnic patterns and media stereotypes of Asian American men. 37 min. Video/C 2522
- Because I Loved Him.
- A teenage girl tells her story of being in a physically abusive relationship, how she coped with it, and finally acted to stop her boyfriend's abuse. 4 min. Video/C 4175
- Be Good, My Children.
- An irreverent drama about a Korean immigrant family in New York City, whose members each have very different ideas about what life should be like in their adopted homeland. Raises issues affecting many immigrant communities: racism, sexism, representation of Asians in the media. 47 min. Video/C 4387
- Between the Lines: Asian American Women's Poetry
- Meena Alexander, Staceyann Chin, Lori Tsang, Kimiko Hahn, Lois-Ann Yamanaka, Cathy Song, Patricia Y. Ikeda,Barbara Michelle Tran, Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge, Marilyn
Chin, Myung Mi Kim, Shirley Geok-Lin Lim, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Wang Ping, Le Thi Diem Thuy.
Presents poetry readings and interviews with 15 major Asian-Pacific American women poets who speak of
personal experiences of immigration and how these events have shaped their writing. This documentary
serves as a virtual anthology and a testimony about gender, ethnicity, aesthetics, and creative choice,
reflecting the individual voice and diversity within the Asian-American women's community. 65 min. Video/C 8715
- Between Two Worlds: A Documentary
- This documentary examines the difficulties experienced by first generation Asian American youth who struggle with "living in two worlds"--the Asian family culture and the American culture. Chinese, Japanese, and Korean American young adults and members of their families expound upon the generational and cultural gaps existing in Asian American families and stereotypical perceptions of Asians in American society. 29 min. Video/C 5846
- Blood, Sweat & Lace.
- Examination of the working conditions of Asian American women garment workers who sew piece work in Oakland, California. Focuses on attempts by the workers to extract back wages from Jessica McClintoch Corporation, designer/distributor of the fashions they sew, after their subcontractor declared bankruptcy. 18 min. DVD 1329; also VHS Video/C 3601
- California Roll
- A sexy, hip hop journey into the fast moving, high rolling Asian America youth market on the West Coast. Follow DJ Hideo as he explains how, why and for whom, this scene exists. Visits Asian American Hollywood nightspots, the Go Go Girl phenomenon, and of course, what hip hop music is to the Asian American scene today. Produced and directed by Stanley Lim. 2005. 50 min. DVD 9571
- Campus Culture Wars: Five Stories About PC.
- University of Pennsylvania: racially insensitive language, Harvard University: gay rights, Stanford University: multicultural ideals, Pennsylvania State: sexual harassment, University of Washington: radical feminism. 86 min. Video/C 3328
- Changing Face: Cosmetic Surgery of the Asian Eyelid.
- 1995. Credits: Producers/directors/camera, Clarence Ting, Tami Wong, Suzanne Shimoyama. Performers: Dr. Michael Rabkin, Dr. Ronald S. Matsunaga, Dr. Issa Eshima, Dr. David Kahn.
Through interviews with plastic surgeons and patients, film examines the surgical techniques and reasons why some Asian-Americans choose cosmetic surgery to alter their eye contours to conform to a more caucasian appearance. 22 min. Video/C 3858
- Class Divided.
- Documents a reunion of Iowa teacher Jane Elliott and her third-grade class of 1970, subjects that year of an ABC News television documentary entitled: The eye of the storm. Shows how her experimental curriculum on the evils of discrimination had a lasting effect on the lives of the students. (See also: Eye of the Storm, Video/C 1143) 58 min. Video/C 1143
- The Color of Fear.
- Eight North American men of Asian, European, Latino and African descent talk together about how racism affects them. 90 min. Video/C 3588
- Color Schemes: America's Washload in 4 Cycles.
- The theme is society's intolerance for cultural diversity. 28 min. Video/C 1776
- Crossing East: The First Asian American History Series on Public Radio: An Eight Hour Documentary Series [Sound recording]
- Hosted by George Takei and Margaret Cho. Concentrates on the many waves of Asian immigration into America and the impact this immigration has had on descendants, global ties, and the making of this country. Crossing East relies on scholar and oral history interviews, archival recordings, and professional actors reading historical documents and literature, as well as original music by Asian American musicians around the country. 2006. Sound/D 214
- Crosstalk at Work
- Part 1. Performance appraising across cultures; Part 2. Recruitment interviewing across cultures. This program looks at misunderstandings and communication failures in business caused by cultural differences. It focuses on problems in America for those of Chinese and Korean origin. Using footage of performance assessment in the Bank of America, it explains how different cultural outlooks can lead to unconscious communication breakdown. [2 videocassettes]. 54 min. Video/C 6135 by the Asian American Theatre Company. Video/C 666
- Displaced in the New South
- In 1980, there were a few thousand Asian and Latino immigrants in Georgia. By 1994, there were more than 300,000. This documentary explores the cultural collision between Asian and Hispanic immigrants and the suburban communities near Atlanta, Georgia, in which they have settled. The film provides a sensitive and insightful case study of a nationwide trend that is bringing explosive political upheaval all across America: waves of people, mostly from Asia and Latin America, coming to cities, small towns, and suburban communities that have never before experienced immigration on such a scale. c1995. 57 min. DVD 2890
Description from Berkeley Media (distributor) catalog
- Do 2 Halves Really Make a Whole?
- This video features the diverse viewpoints of people
with multiracial Asian heritages and their personal experiences in growing up as multiracial Asian Americans. African and Japanese American poet
and playwright, Velina Hasu Houston, lives an amalgamated existence and encourages others to take pride in all that they are. Performance artist, Dan
Kwong, struggles with two strong Asian heritages, Japanese and Chinese American, while Brenda Wong Aoki uses her unique ethnic mix of four cultural heritages to intersect social circles. 29 min. Video/C 3831
- Domino: Interracial People and the Search for Identity
- Portrays the stories of six interracial people, exploring issues of identity, cultural isolation, and the search for community. Through these personal stories, each person recounts how their identity is affected by their parents' history, hierarchies of race, gender roles, and class. Ultimately, these six individuals demonstrate how living intimately with two cultures can be a source of strength and enrichment. 45 min. Video/C 4997
- East of Occidental .
- The inhabitants of Seattle's International District, a unique neighborhood where Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino Americans have come together as a political and social force, tell the story of the Asian immigrants who came to America, but seldom appeared in the pages of our history books. 29 min. Video/C 1958
- The Eye of the Storm.
- Award winning documentary records an innovative experiment in which a third-grade teacher divides her all-white class into "blue-eyes" and "brown-eyes," making each group superior or inferior on successive days. The program demonstrates the nature and
effects of bigotry by showing changes brought about in the children's behavior and learning patterns. (See also: A Class Divided Video/C 1143) 26 min. Video/C 3984
- Fishing for Father.
- A fictionalized portrait of wife abuse in an Asian American family and how childhood experiences affect one's actions as an adult. 13 min. Video/C 3747
- Free Speech and Racism on Campus: Nightline: June 12, 1989.
- Racist attacks are on the rise on America's college campuses. This newscast asks should some kinds of free speech be censored on university campuses because of their racial or sexual content? Includes interviews with Nat Hentoff of the Village Voice, college professors and students at Stanford University and the University of Michigan. 23 min. Video/C 5769
- Game of Death (3 short films)
- Game of Death (8 min.): Presenting footage from Bruce Lee's last unfinished film, Game of death, Kip Fulbeck examines the various roles he posthumously came to represent as an Asian American male icon, examining issues of male stereotyping and marketing of Asian culture in the U.S. Some Questions for 28 kisses (7 min.): Confronts the viewer with images of Asian female/non-Asian male pairings in American movies and mass media. Examines topics such as interracial dating, ethnic fetishes, and race identity. Asian Studs Nightmare (6 min.): A hilarious spoof on the racial politics operating behind a hit television dating show. c1994. 21 min. total. Video/C 8319
- Game of Death
- Kip Fulbeck uses footage from Bruce Lee's last unfinished film, Game of Death, to examine the various roles he posthumously came to represent as an Asian American male icon, examining issues of male stereotyping and marketing of Asian culture in the U.S. 16 min. Video/C 4178
- The Grace Lee Project
- Pursuing the moving target of Asian-American female identity, filmmaker Grace Lee, in a clever, highly unscientific investigation visits with Asian American women named "Grace Lee," from a fiery social activist to a rebel who tried to burn down her high school. With wit and charm, the film puts a hilarious spin on the eternal question "What's in a name?" A film by Grace Lee. 2005. 68 min. DVD 4872
- How Biased Are You?
- Explores the history and practice of racism through its extreme manifestations, such as slavery, the Holocaust, segregation, bias crimes, and racial profiling, as well as its more subtle demonstrations, such as the pernicious subconscious biases that can exert an influence on everyday behavior. Uses hidden cameras to show the different experiences of black and white persons in the same situations, such as shopping in a store. Examines the Implicit Association Test, a bias-sensitivity test developed by Anthony Greenwald and Mahzarin Banaji, which looks for hidden, subconscious biases. Also looks at prejudice in children of various ages. Originally produced by Discovery Communications, Inc. in 2000. 45 min. Video/C 8474
- I Got This Way from Eating Rice
- Three films by Nguyen Tan Hoang dealing with the intersection of the Asian American race and homosexuality. 7 Steps to Sticky Heaven (1995, 24 min.): A documentary of interviews with a group of young gay Asian men in San Francisco on a range of subjects. Forever Jimmy! (1995, 6 min.): As a reaction to the lack of sexy Asian men in U.S. media, the film inserts Asian male pop stars into films in a barrage of seductive, fast edits and pornographic intertitles. Maybe Never (But I'm Counting the Days) (1996, 15 min.): Presents a multitude of narratives about the changing nature of sexual fantasy and activity in the age of AIDS. c1999. 45 min. Video/C 7934
- I'll Love You When You're More Like Me: Selected Videos (1996-2000)
- Four films by Nguyen Tan Hoang exploring queer Asian American's engagement with popular culture. Forever Linda! (1996, 12 min.): Presents a series of daydreams of a queer Asian American teenager centering around the figure of supermodel Linda Evangelista. Cover Girl, a Gift from God (2000, 18 min.): Profiles Dalena, a blond, blue-eyed American singer who is a Vietnamese American pop star. The focus is on her reception by Vietnamese-American fans who through her music, seek to preserve a memory of what it means to be Vietnamese while living in America. Crimson (2000, 4 min.): Portrays the feeling of sadness when one loses a friend and object of love through a change in gender. The Calling (2000, 8 min.): Employing a collage of clips from classic priest movies, this film takes a look at Asian American men who are pushed by parents to become clergy. c2000. 42 min. Video/C 7935
- I'm on a Mission from Buddha.
- Based on a stage production by the Asian American Theater Company, this one-man show, written and performed by Lane Nishikawa, provides an incisive look at life for contemporary Asian-Americans. 60 min. Video/C 2316
- I'm the One That I Want
- Comedian Margaret Cho's raunchy and hysterically funny stand-up concert. As one of the country's most visible Asian Americans, she has a unique perspective on identity and acceptance. Filmed live at The Warfield in her hometown of San Francisco, this film is Cho at her very best--funny, shocking and irreverent. 2001. 96 min. DVD 1066
- Immigration: Who Has Access to the American Dream?
- Examines the hard-core questions surrounding current U.S. immigration. How many should we allow in? Who, if anyone, should receive preferential treatment? How should illegal immigration be handled? All of the issues are examined through the eyes of those seeking entry, and the organizations assisting them. Those interviewed include an immigration judge, an immigrant from Kenya, and the owner of a New York City deli from Korea. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1997. 29 min. Video/C 5604
- In Plain English.
- Made by filmmaker Julia Lesage. African-American, Asian-American, Pacific Islander, Chicano/Latin American and Native American undergraduate and graduate students discuss their expectations about college life before they came to the University of Oregon and the reality they encountered while at the university and they examine their experiences with racism and discrimination. 42 min. Video/C 3007
- Interracial Marriage: Blending the Races in America.
- Examines how and why couples of different colors, religions, and ethnic roots are drawn to one another, how their differences affect their marriages, and how they deal with their friends and family. 1993. 52 min. Video/C 4994
- The Kiss.
- A drama concerning a quiet, unassuming Asian-American
office worker whose defense from hostile treatment from co-workers is to hide inside a small, regimented world. One day, he is faced with the choice of
isolation and safety or action, perhaps even at risk to himself. Either choice will change his life forever. 13 min. Video/C 3818
- Kites & Other Tales.
- A socio-cultural and historical discussion of kites and kite making. 12 min. Video/C 1969
- Labor Women, the New Generation
- Profiles Jun Chong, Karla Zombro, and Quynh Nguyen, three Asian American women who are labor union organizers in Los Angeles. They are immigrant daughters on the frontlines of the fight for economic justice, organizing South Central welfare recipients, Asian and Latino slaughterhouse workers, and LAX airport workers. Their challenges are juxtaposed with inspiring perspectives of "veteran" labor women who paved the way and are now labor leaders. Produced, directed and written by Renee Tajima-Peña. 2002. 35 min. DVD 7328
- [Lim, Shirley Geok-lin] Lorna Dee Cervantes and Shirley Geok-lin Lim (Sounds of Poetry with Bill Moyers)
- American poet Lorna Dee Cervantes founded her own press to publish the works of Mexican-Americans. Dr. Shirley Geok-lin Lim, An English professor uses her Chinese/Malaysian roots to bring a unique Asian-American perspective to her writing. In this program Bill Moyers and the two poets discuss topics that revolve around the theme of otherness. 1999. 27 min. Video/C 6828
- Mail Order.
- Documents a lonely young man's search for female companionship. 11 min. Video/C 1996
- Maxine Hong Kingston: Reading and Interview, UC Berkeley, Spring 1990.
- Asian American author Kingston reads from her book,
Trapmaster monkey: his fake book, comments upon her writings and replies to questions addressed to her by students. 52 min. Video/C 3796
- Maxine Hong Kingston: Talking Story.
- This video is about the life and writings of the contemporary Chinese-American author, Maxine Hong Kingston. Narrated by B.D. Wong, it includes comments by Kingston, other authors, and literary critics. Also includes readings by Kingston from her works, The Woman Warrior, China Men, and Tripmaster Monkey. 60 min. Video/C 2168
- [Lin, Maya] Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision.
- Reveals the origins of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and tells the story of its 21 year old creator, a Yale architecture student. Lin's plan was selected from over 1,000 different designs. And what began as one of the country's most bitterly disputed monuments became one of the world's most inspirational and frequently visited memorials. Focuses on the emotional impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Civil Rights Memorial and other works designed by Lin. 1994. 98 min. DVD 1996; also VHS Video/C 4359
- Mitsuye and Nellie: Asian-American Poets.
- Poets Nellie Wong and Mitsuye Yamada discuss and demonstrate through readings the influence of Asian culture on their lives and work. 58 min. Video/C 750
- Mixed Blood.
- Directed by Valerie Soe. Takes a personal view of interracial relationships between Asian Americans and non-Asian Americans and looks at whether such choices have public and political implications. 20 min. Video/C 2834
- Mixed Feelings.
- Through interviews with five U.C. Berkeley students and teachers of mixed ethnic heritage, the producer illuminates the experience of what it is like to grow up part Asian in American society. Those interviewed offer personal anecdotes of their families, how they initially perceived their own cultural identities and how they see themselves today. Director/producer, Mikko Jokela. 1995. 40 min. Video/C 6613
- My America, or, Honk If You Love Buddha
- Filmmaker Renee Tajima-Pena goes on the road, à la Jack Kerouac, to record the voices and personalities of Asian Americans everywhere from Chinatown, New York to a debutante ball in Anaheim, California. She compares her childhood to the current ethnic climate of America and chronicles as well the spectacular adventures of her fellow traveler, Victor Wong, son of a San Francisco Chinatown mayor, who went on to become a Beat painter, photojournalist, and character actor. 87 min. Video/C 6049
- Neverperfect
- Most Asian women experience particular cultural and social pressure to strive for extremely high standards of achievement and flawlessness. Among ethnic patients, the number of Asian-Americans seeking plastic and cosmetic surgery has risen 55% from 2004 to 2006. Along with other Asian American women seeking plastic surgery, this film follows the complex journey of one young Vietnamese-American woman's struggle with popular perceptions of beauty and body image in her decision to undergo cosmetic surgery. Traversing historical and contemporary notions of beauty, stereotypes and iconography within Asian and popular cultures, this film incorporates a rich selection of archival footage and commentary from numerous voices which ignites lively debate on the phenomena as they pertain to race and gender identity. A film by Regina Park. Dist. Cinema Guild. 2007. 65 min. DVD 8947
- The New Majority: Beyond the melting Pot; a report on California's cultural and racial demographics and how they affect our society.
- Part of the UC Berkeley Open Window Series. California's cultural and racial demographics - by K. Russell -- Diversity: Changing the face of politics; election reapportionment - by T. Mock -- Hate crimes - by K. Debro -- Labor unions and the new immigrants - by H. Frieze -- University of California, Berkeley: Multicultural education - by W. Lasola -- The arts - by H. Norman -- English only initiative - by J. McKelvey -- The lives of immigrants - by B. Pimentel -- A look at immigration policy - by F. Langner. DVD 9607; vhs Video/C 2010 View this video online
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© UC Regents. - No Hop Sing, No Bruce Lee: What Do You Do When None of Your Heroes Look Like You?
- Various Asian Americans relate how they had to assimilate and adapt to a dominant white society in America. Asian American actors discuss ethnic identity, mass media stereotyping and their subservient roles in the mass media. Film excerpts and actor interviews: Danger Island, Peter Lorre -- Year of living dangerously, Linda Hunt -- Auntie Mame, Yuki Shimoda -- Pink Panther strikes again, Herbert Lom -- Seinfeld, Dom Magwili -- Sixteen candles, Gedde Watanabe -- Bonanza, Victor Sen -- Green Hornet, Bruce Lee -- Flash Gordon, Max von Sydow -- Hook, Dante Basco -- Big trouble in Little China, Dennis Dun, James Hong -- Kung Fu, David Carradine -- American ninja, Guich Koock -- Fiendish plot of Fu Manchu, Peter Sellers -- Under the rainbow -- Seven faces of Dr. Lao, Tony Randall -- Marlow, Bruce Lee -- Terror of the Tong, Christopher Lee -- Karate Kid, Pat Morita -- Teahouse of the August Moon, Marlon Brando. c1998. 28 min. Video/C 7022
- No Time to Stop: Stories of Immigrant and Visible Minority Women.
- Features three immigrant women in Canada from Hong Kong, Ghana and Jamaica respectively. They talk about the circumstances that shape their lives and how their dreams are marred by hardship, sexism and racism. They personalize the complex issues facing immigrant women who are forced to take low-paying, low-status jobs in Canada. 30 min. Video/C 3344
- Not a Simple Story [Out in Silence].
- Presents two stories of Asian Pacific Americans, gay and straight, male and female who have gone public about being HIV positive. 37 min. Video/C 3749
- Not Black or White
- Examines the stereotypical ways in which Asian women have been depicted in the media and how three nationally acclaimed Asian American actresses challenge and defy those concepts in their creative work and careers. c1999. 20 min. Video/C 7716
- [Edward Said] On Orientalism (Race and Diversity Series)
- Edward Said's book Orientalism has been influential in a diverse range of disciplines since its publication in 1978. In this interview he talks about the context in which the book was conceived, its main themes, and how its original thesis relates to the contemporary understanding of "the Orient." c1998. 40 min. DVD 4914; vhs Video/C 5800
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UC Berkeley users only - Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - On Strike! Ethnic Studies, 1969-1999
- A historical presentation of the struggle to create and maintain a Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California Berkeley. Includes interviews with participants in the 1969 demonstrations when the program was first established, with the 1999 demonstrators when the funding for the program was threatened and with Ethnic Studies faculty at U.C.B. Directed and produced by Irum Shiekh. 1999. 36 min. DVD 8561; vhs Video/C 6521
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UC Berkeley users only - Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - Open Letter: Grasp the Bird's Tail.
- Directed by Brenda Joy Lem. Structuring her thoughts in a letter to her lover, a young woman confronts the very real fears of being an Asian woman in a world distorted by misogynistic and anti-Asian hostilities. The work is a vividly disturbing contemplation of race, gender, and violence. 15 min. Video/C 2836
- Orientations.
- Directed by Richard Fung, looks at gay Asians in Toronto, Canada. More than a dozen gay men and lesbian women of different Asian backgrounds speak frankly about their lives as members of a minority within a minority. This group's commitment and outspokenness challenge the stereotype of passive Asians. 15 min. Video/C 3757
- Panel on Ethnic Diversity with Troy Duster, Elaine Kim and Alex Saragoza, January, 1991.
- A panel of five faculty members discuss a report, chaired by Tony Duster. The Duster report concludes that students at the University of California, Berkeley, 50% of whom are of a cultural minority, tend to cluster into ethnic groups rather than interact. Julia Curry, Alex Saragoza, Elaine Kim, and Snow Arrow Fausett discuss problems facing various ethnic groups. UC Berkeley, Open Window series program; 921. Video/C 1932View this video online
Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - Paper Birds
- A film investigating the darkest recesses of a postadolescent mind traumatized by ritual spousal abuse. Fearing that he is fated to repeat his father's sins, Jeremy literally seeks asylum in a sanitarium to spare his girlfriend, but not himself, from the violent behavior patterns often endemic to Asian and Asian American patriarcy. Produced and directed by Chesley Chen. 1998. 17 min. DVD 9608; vhs Video/C 1932
- Party
- Explores modern Asian-America through the prism of New York's Asian party scene. What is the purpose of these parties? What does this scene say about Asian-American identity? Going beyond the "safe-space" exterior, the film reveals the lives and struggles of prominent promoters and partygoers. Features narration by Professor Gary Okihiro of Columbia University, who comments on the current state of Asian-America. Producers, Steven Hahn, Francis Hsueh. 2005. 84 min. DVD 6127
- Picturing Oriental Girls : A [RE] Educational Videotape.
- Directed by Valerie Soe. A visual compendium of portrayals of Asian women in American film and television. Juxtaposed with text from "mail-order bride" catalogs and men's magazines, clips from over 25 films and television programs explicate the orientalism and exoticism prevalent in mass media images of Asian American women. 12 min. Video/C 2836
- Q It Up.
- A fictional exploration of drug abuse Asian American adolescents. Starring Kelvin Han Yee (A Great Wall) Dennis Dunn (The Last Emperor), Cora Miao (Eat a Bowl of Tea), and Victor Wong (Dim Sum) 16 min. Video/C 1970
- Race is the Place
- Focusing on the topic of racism in the United States, the program presents an assemblage of taped monologues, commentaries, readings, musical performances, and stills of visual artworks interspersed with documentary sequences, archival images, and dialogue exemplifying the topic found in American mass media and product packaging. Featuring: Amiri Baraka, Andy Bumatrai, Kamau Daaood, Mayda del Valle, Michael Franti, Lalo Guerrero, Barry "Shabaka" Henley, Danny Hoch, James Luna, Culture Clash, Richard Montoya, Willie Perdomo, Kate Rigg, Boots Riley, Ricardo Salinas, Beau Sia, Herbert Siguenza, Piri Thomas, Haunani-Kay Trask, Lois Ann Yamada ; visual artists: Enrique Chagoya, Michael Ray Charles, Paula de Joie, Faith Ringgold, Betye Saar, Ben Sakoguchi, Cora Yee. Produced and directed by Raymond Telles, Rick Tejada-Flores. c2005. 92 min. DVD 6153
- Race, The Power of an Illusion
- A three part series exploring the history of race perceptions and behaviors towards races in the United States, within the context of recent scientific discoveries which have have toppled the concept of biological race. c2003. 56 min. each installment
The Difference Between Us. Follows students who sequence and compare their own DNA looking for a "race marker." It also looks at the history of racism in the U.S., the advent of stereotypes based on physical attributes attributed to races and somatotypes with particular reference to African Americans. Video/C 9574 The Story We Tell. Traces the race concept to the European conquest of the Americas, including the development of the slave system, which eventually crystalized into an ideology of white supremacy. By the mid-19th century, race had become the "common sense" wisdom of white America, revealing how social and political inequalities came to be recognized as "natural." Video/C 9575 The House We Live In. Focuses on how institutions shape and create race, giving different groups vastly unequal life chances. After WWII, whiteness increasingly meant owning a home in the suburbs, aided by discriminatory federal policies. Video/C 9576
- Reading, Writing & Race.
- This program looks at the impact of affirmative action admissions policies, speech codes, and race relations on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley. Includes drama students enacting plays about racial conflicts and intolerance on campus. The film also examines the debate in California over a series of social studies textbooks which are under fire from critics, who charge that they do not adequately reflect California's multicultural heritage. 1991. 60 min. Video/C 6790
- Renee Tajima Reads Asian Images in American Film.
- Discussion of the stereotyping of Asians and Asian-Americans in American films, particularly the passive Asian woman and the monolithic Asian masses who do not seem to have individual identity. 1984. Video/C 2579
- Rock Me Gung Hay.
- From Hollywood to cartoon caricatures, this film confronts pervasive racist imagery of Asian Americans on the big and little screens. Personified by the Goong Hay Kid, a fictional Chinese rapper, Chinese Americans hit back with self-defined images, Chinese-American rap and rage. 6 min. Video/C 3648
- Sally's Beauty Spot.
- Shows a woman's attitude toward her body by exploring her feelings towards a small mole on her breast. 12 min. Video/C 3361
- Lee, Helen. "A Peculiar Sensation: A Personal Genealogy of Korean American Women's Cinema." (Race in Contemporary American Cinema, part 8) Cineaste v23, n1 (Wntr, 1997):36 (3 pages).
- Sambal Belacan in San Francisco
- Documentary portrays three first-generation Asian lesbians (originally from Singapore) grappling with making a home in America. Produced, directed, written, photographed, edited by Madeleine Lim. c1997. 25 min. Video/C MM1198
- School Colors.
- This in-depth documentary looks at a turbulent year at Berkeley High School in California, focusing on teachers, students, and parents struggling with the question of whether diversity will enrich American society or tear it apart. 143 min. Video/C 3596
- Goodman, Walter. "School Colors." (television program reviews) New York Times v144 (Tue, Oct 18, 1994):B3(N), C20(L), col 1 Leonard, John. "School Colors." (television program reviews) New York v27, n42 (Oct 24, 1994):70.
- Searching for Asian America
- Segments from a television series looking at the Asian American experience. The governor: Profiles the successful 1997 campaign and life experiences of the first Asian American governor elected in America, Gary F. Locke of Washington State. Oklahoma home: Filipino immigrant doctors Martin Bautista and Jeffrey Lim discuss issues of nationalism and assimiliation living in rural America. Angry Little Asian girl: Actress and creator of the underground comic and website Angry little girls.com, Lela Lee challenges stereotpyes of gender and race and comes to terms with her own identity as an Asian American woman. 2003. 85 min. Video/C 9686
- The 7 Train: An Immigrant Journey
- Each day 500,000 people from 117 different countries ride the bright red #7 subway train that runs from Flushing to Times Square, going through Queens, the most ethnically diverse region in the United States. Here are a few of the passengers. 1999. 29 min. Video/C 6644
- Sex, Love, & Kung Fu
- A comical look at two crazed kung fu fanatics who argue over Asian American masculinity and the nature of martial arts films. Includes clips from the films Showdown in little Tokyo, Kung fu, and Enter the dragon. c2000. 7 min. Video/C 8318
- Shades of California
- Presents the stories of Californians of varied racial and ethnic backgrounds through personal photographs which they share with the viewer along with their family histories. Based on the book "Shades of California," edited by Kimi Kodani Hill (Bancroft pfF862.S521 2001 Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library). c2003. 54 min. Video/C MM29
- Shattering the Silences.
- Documentary explores issues of faculty diversity in American higher education in the mid-1990s, focusing on the professional and personal experiences of eight minority scholars in the humanities and social sciences at various institutions. 86 min. Video/C 4707
- The Shot Heard Round the World
- An examination of the death of teenaged Japanese exchange student, Yoshi Hattori, who was fatally shot by Rodney Peairs in 1992 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This searing study in the pathology of urban fear, gun violence, criminal justice and cultural miscommunication utilizes news footage, videotape depositions, and interviews with the attorneys to examine the tragedy. 1997. 67 min. Video/C 5008
- Sisters 'n Brothers
- a hard-hitting feminist look at a revolution-gone-awry among people which explodes and explores current dialogues on gender wars. 4 min. Video/C 4175
- Skin Deep.
- A diverse group of college students reveal their honest feelings and attitudes about race and racism. Students from 3 major universities are interviewed alone on topics including the climate toward talking about race on campus, self separation of ethnic groups, discrimination, affirmative action policies and individual responsibility for change. Concludes with a diverse group of 23 students from 6 major American universities who spent 3 days together to collectively challenge one another with dialogue focusing on such topics as the concept of individual responsibility, feeling separated from each other, wanting others to understand and what can be done to move awareness to action. 53 min. Video/C 4055.
- The Slanted Screen
- From silent film star Sessue Hayakawa to Harold & Kumar Go to Whitecastle, The slanted screen explores the portrayals of Asian men in American cinema, chronicling the experiences of actors who have had to struggle against ethnic stereotyping and limiting roles. The film presents a critical examination of Hollywood's image-making machine, through a fascinating parade of 50 film clips spanning a century. Special features: A tribute to Mako (8 min.) ; "Influencing the image makers" : Oct. 5, 2006 panel discussion at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (45 min.) 2006. 61 min. DVD 6998
- Slaying the Dragon.
- This film analyzes the roles and images of Asian women promulgated by the Hollywood film industry and network television over the past fifty years. Also interviews Asian American women and their responses to the impact these stereotypes have on their relationships, their work, and themselves. 60 min. Video/C 1496
- Slaying the Dragon.
- This film analyzes the roles and images of Asian women promulgated by the Hollywood film industry and network television over the past fifty years. Also interviews Asian American women and their responses to the impact these stereotypes have on their relationships, their work, and themselves. 60 min. DVD 8550; vhs Video/C 1496
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- Some Questions for 28 Kisses.
- Confronts the viewer with images of Asian female/non-Asian male pairings in American movies and mass media. Examines topics such as interracial dating, ethnic fetishes, and race identity. 16 min. Video/C 4178
- Stories of Maxine Hong Kingston . (World of ideas with Bill Moyers)
- Interview with Maxine Hong Kingston, author of Chinese American ethnic literature, in which she relates her life experiences growing up in California as a first generation Chinese American. 1990. 56 min. DVD 1957; also Video/C 1882
- Stories My Country Told Me: with Maxine Hong Kingston.
- Facing the reality of what happened in Southeast Asia and bringing others together to reconcile with it, has become the life work of novelist Maxine Hong Kingston, who teaches Buddhism and creative writing to Vietnam veterans. In this program Kingston explores the causes and effects of alienation from one's country and travels to France accompanied by Vietnam veteran writers to meet with Thich Nhat Hahn, a Buddhist monk instrumental in the peace accords ending the Vietnam War. 1996. 58 min. Video/C 6892
- Stuart Gaffney: Compilation tape. Number 1: Hapa and Asian-themed Video Works
- Contents: Cunanan's conundrum (col., 11 min., 1998) -- Names (b&w, 8 min, 2000) -- Secret sounds (b&w, 4 min., 2001) -- Transgressions (b&w, 6 min., 2002) -- Chinese Tom (b&w, si., 3 min., 2003) -- Introductions (b&w, 7 min., 1999). 1994. 24 min. Video/C 4074
Presents films from Stuart Gaffney who produces short works on AIDS, queer and Eurasian identities. Films in his first compilation tape focus on queer Hapa and Asian-themes. Video/C MM72 (for other Stuart Gaffney films, SEE Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Studies]
- Sweet or Spicy?
- In the context of a telephone dating service, this film examines dating relationships for men of mixed Asian/white descent and probes Asian American male sexuality in popular culture. c2000. 7 min. Video/C 8321
- Takaki, Ron, Spring 1997. (Berkeley Writers at Work)
- A brief lecture by professor and author Ron Takaki, followed by an interview in which he discusses his writing process and his insights on the "hidden history" of minorities in America, followed by questions from the student audience. 79 min. Video/C 5872
- That's the Way Love Goes?
- An unpretentious yet sophisticated look at teen "girlfriends" and "boyfriends" and how the terms rarely connote commitment. 6 min. Video/C 4175
- Toc Storee
- Film uses a storytelling format to explore issues of sexuality, tradition and identity in Asian gay
contexts. 22 min. Video/C 3811
- Twenty Years After: The Third World Strike.
- Original footage from the Third world strike and a discussion on what happened, why it happened, and what has happened since, with Carlos Munoz, Jr., Anthony Garcia, Octavio Romano V, Troy Duster. DVD 1188; also VHS Video/C 1403View this video online
Requires Windows Media Player or Flip4Mac - Understanding Race.
- Examines the history and power of the artificial distinction called "race", viewing it within historical, scientific, and cultural contexts. Topics include the anthropological unity of Homo sapiens; sanctioned discrimination, such as segregation; cultural biases based on racial stereotypes; and the underlying humanity that inextricably links us all. 1999. 52 min. Video/C 7183
- Visions of a Common Good: A Conversation on Race, Ethnicity, and American Common Ground
-
Nathan Glazer, Ronald Takaki, Robert Pickus.
William Simmons, moderator. Professors Glazer (Harvard) and Takaki (UCB) seek to define a common cultural ground for an America that is diverse, united and fulfills the best of its founder's values. Co-sponsors, World Without War Council, James Madison Foundation and the Center for Teaching and Study of American Cultures."
Joint lecture delivered 4/26/94 at the University of California Berkeley. 90 min. DVD 4221; Video/C 2713
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© UC Regents - What's Race Got to Do with It?
- This program "chronicles the experiences of a new generation of college students, in this case over the course of 16 weeks of intergroup dialogue on the U.C. Berkeley campus. As they confront themselves and each other about race, they discover they often lack awareness of how different their experience of campus life is from their peers, to the detriment of an inclusive campus climate. Special features (46 min.): Optional audio commentaries and excerpted interviews with Dave Stark & Jerlena Griffin-Destra (course goals & objectives, creating a space for dialogue, students' lives as the curriculum, course history : how conflict emerges, socioeconomic disparities, assessing the process, facing issues that arise). Written, directed and produced by Jean Cheng. 2006. 49 min. DVD 6626
- What's Wrong with Frank Chin?
- Documentary about the work and life of Chinese American author Frank Chin and his role in the changing perception of Asian Americans by Asian Americans and American society in general. Chin's role in creating Aiiieeeee!, an anthology of Asian American writers; The Asian American Theater Workshop and the Asian American Writer's Conference is discussed by numerous friends and writers who have been influenced by Chin. A documentary by Curtis Choy. 2005. 97 min. DVD 3756
- Where Strangers Become Neighbours: The Story of the Collingwood Neighborhood House and the Integration of Immigrants in Vancouver
- Explores the contemporary global social issue of immigration by looking at one neighbourhood in the city of Vancouver. Collingwood, a predominantly Anglo-European community until the 1980s, has been transformed by the arrival of large numbers of Asians, Africans and Latin-Americans. A neighbourhood that just 20 years ago was locking its doors, afraid of change, and telling immigrants to go back where they came from, is now a welcoming place for everyone. How did this happen? How did strangers become neighbours? 2007. 50 min. DVD 9250
- Who is Albert Woo?
- Through interviews with Jackie Chan and other modern Asian men, this program examines the way identities are shaped by the media, history and cultural legacy and considers to what extent reductive stereotypes, such as the Yellow Peril and the martial arts master, distort reality. 2000. 53 min. Video/C 8044
- Who Killed Vincent Chin?
- Video on racism in working-class America focuses on the murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese-American, in a Detroit bar. Interweaves the murder with social concerns and questions about justice. 83 min. Video/C 1767
- Nichols, Bill. "Historical Consciousness and the Viewer: Who Killed Vincent Chin?" In: The Persistence of History: Cinema, Television, and the Modern Event. Edited by Vivian Sobchack. pp: 55-68. New York: Routledge, 1996. AFI film readers. (Main Stack PN1995.2.P47 1996)
- Why is Preparing Fish a Political Act?
- A portrait of Asian American poet and activist Janice Mirikitani and a remembrance of her grandmother. 20 min. Video/C 3234
- With Silk Wings: Asian American Women at Work.
- Contents: Show 1. Four women (30 min.) 2.
On New Ground (30 min.) 3.
Frankly Speaking (30 min.) 4. Talking History (30 min.).
Profiles four women role models, ten women in non-traditional jobs, and students. Discusses their concerns regarding school, parents, and work. 4 parts, 30 min. each Video/C 514
- Yellow Tale Blues: Two American Families.
- Directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima. The producers turn the camera on their own families to make this documentary on ethnic stereotypes. Clips from Hollywood movies reveal nearly a century of disparaging images of Asians. 30 min. Video/C 3243
- Yuki Shimoda : Asian American Actor.
- Documents the career of Yuki Shimoda through interviews and archival footage. Examines the role of Asian American actors in the U.S. film industry. 30 min. Video/C 1966
- Yuri Kochiyama: Passion for Justice.
- Biography in political and social context of Yuri Kochiyama, an Asian American woman and humanitarian civil rights activist who first became aware of social injustice in the United States during her time in a Japanese-American interment camp during World War II. She stresses the need for members of all races and ethnicities to work together for common goals, and for a fundamental change in political power structures. Includes interviews with Kochiyama and with members of her family. 58 min. Video/C 4542
Sound Recordings
- The Asian American Experience.
- University of Massachusetts Professor Robert Suzuki explores the experience of being an Asian in today's United States. 58 min. Sound/C 551
- Asian-American Women v.The Women's Movement.
- A panel of Asian American women talk about their experiences and disillusionment with the Women's Movement. 33 min. Sound/C 244
- Japanese American Internment.
- Interviews with Alex Yamamoto and Paul and Marianne Takabe, Japanese Americans who were sent to special detention camps for refusing to cooperate with the relocation program. 40 min. Sound/C 71
- Japanese Americans in the West.
- Discusses Japanese immigration and settlement in the western United States during the early 20th Century. 27 min. Sound/C 177
- Views from Within: The Japanese American Wartime Internment Experience.
- See description for videocassette of same title. 5 parts. Sound/C 1055
