Asian American Movies

Even with the release of the American blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians (2018), noteworthy examples of Asian Americans on film are few and far between. The inclusion of Asian Americans in films has and continues to be important to Asian Americans, as many have rarely seen complex, powerful, and challenging representations of themselves across the history of U.S. cinema. This entry addresses the historical representation of Asian Americans in Hollywood, as well as the more contemporary production of Asian American films, including independent ones. Furthermore, this entry works to provide a theory and a context for understanding contemporary film and representation, as well as to synopsize key scholarship on the subject.