Films about Asian immigration often explore the complex and multifaceted experiences of Asian immigrants, delving into their struggles, triumphs, and the rich cultural narratives they bring to new lands. These stories can range from historical accounts of early immigrants to contemporary tales of adjustment and identity. They might address issues such as cultural assimilation, generational conflict, racism, and the pursuit of the American Dream or equivalent in other countries. Such films often serve to highlight the challenges faced by immigrants and the contributions they make to their new societies, and they provide audiences with a deeper understanding of the Asian immigrant experience.
“The Namesake”, 2006
Director: Mira Nair
Directed by Mira Nair, it follows the life of a Bengali man who struggles with his cultural identity after his parents immigrated to the United States.
Starring: Kal Penn, Tabu, Irfan Khan, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, Brooke Smith, Sahira Nair, Jagannath Guha, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Sandip Deb;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 122 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
More information about the film “The Namesake” on the website imdb.com
“Gook”, 2017
Director: Justin Chon
Set during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, this film tells the story of two Korean American brothers who run their father's shoe store and form an unlikely friendship with a streetwise 11-year-old African American girl.
Starring: Simone Baker, Justin Chon, Curtiss Cook Jr., David So, Kirlew «bliss» Vilbon, Chris Jai Alex, Domenique Batiste, Ignacio Bautista, Teaira T. Bryant, Sang Chon, Jeff Corbett, Terence Dickson, César García Gómez, Xzavier Gray, Sharyn Grose, Guy L. Holmes, Isaiah Jarel, Saadiqa Muhammad, David Joe Kim, Gigi Tsui Kim, Raymond Kou, Nathan Kwong, Louie Ledesma, Aida Lembo, Neidra Lemon, Darina Littleton, Andrew Magaines, Travelle McFarland Jr., Trinecia Moore-Pernell, Ben Munoz, Omono Okojie, Natalie Sutherland, Taylor Thomas, Franklin Vanderbilt, Lando Wilkens, Anna Yates;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: drama;
Duration: 94 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Gook” on the website imdb.com
“Better Luck Tomorrow”, 2002
Director: Justin Lin
Justin Lin's breakout film that provides a look into the lives of a group of high-achieving Asian American high school students who turn to a life of crime.
Starring: Parry Shen, Jason J. Tobin, Sung Kang, Roger Fan, John Cho, Karin Anna Cheung, Shirley Anderson, Nanette Matoba, Kenji Matoba, Ashley Arai;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, melodrama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 101 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Better Luck Tomorrow” on the website imdb.com
“Minari”, 2020
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, this film follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream.
Starring: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Yoon Yeo-jeong, Alan Kim, Noel Cho, Darryl Cox, Esther Moon, Ben Hall, Eric Starkey, Will Patton;
Production year: 2020;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 115 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
“Lilting”, 2013
Director: Hong Khaou
The film is a touching look at the difficulties of connecting across a language barrier, as a Chinese mother living in London mourns the untimely death of her son and forms an unexpected bond with his partner.
Starring: Ben Whishaw, Zheng Peipei, Andrew Leung, Morven Christie, Naomi Yang, Peter Bowles, Peter E. Hopkins, Sal Jobe, John Matthews, Shane Salter;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 86 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
“The Farewell”, 2019
Director: Lulu Wang
Directed by Lulu Wang and based on her real-life experiences, it tells the story of a Chinese-American woman who returns to China with her family to spend time with her grandmother, who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer but is unaware of her own prognosis.
Starring: Awkwafina, Zhou Shuzhen, X Mayo, Lu Hong, Lin Hong, Ma Tzi, Diana Lin, Yang Xuejian, Becca Khalil, Jiang Yongbo;
Production year: 2019;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,5;
“In America”, 2002
Director: Jim Sheridan
Directed by Jim Sheridan, it's a semi-autobiographical film about an Irish immigrant family's struggle to start a new life in New York City, while not strictly about Asian immigration, it captures the broader immigrant experience which may resonate with Asian audiences.
Starring: Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, Sarah Bolger, Emma Bolger, Neal Jones, Randall Carlton, Ciaran Cronin, Djimon Hounsou, Juan Carlos Hernández, Nye Heron;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “In America” on the website imdb.com
“East Side Sushi”, 2014
Director: Anthony Lucero
This film tells the story of a Latina single mother who aspires to become a sushi chef, highlighting the cross-cultural experiences and challenges faced by immigrants in the culinary world.
Starring: Diana Elizabeth Torres, Yutaka Takeuchi, Rodrigo Duarte Clark, Kaya Jade Aguirre, Roji Oyama, Miyoko Sakatani, Lane Nishikawa, Melissa Locsin, James J. Der Jr., Bartholomew Wang;
Production year: 2014;
Genre: drama;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 106 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,1;
More information about the film “East Side Sushi” on the website imdb.com
“Spa Night”, 2016
Director: Andrew Ahn
A Korean American man discovers his sexual identity while working in a Korean spa in Los Angeles, grappling with the expectations of his immigrant parents.
Starring: Joe Seo, Youn Ho Cho, Haerry Kim, Topher Park, Jose A. Solorio, Il Ahn, Linda Han, Yong Kim, Tae Song, Angie Kim, Kahyun Kim, Janice Pak, Jay Kwon, Chris Yejin, Sun Park, Tom Macias, Anthony Ariniello, James S.W. Lee, Ho Young Chung, Esteban Andres Cruz, Bae Do-yeong, An Jin-gyoo, David Pevsner, Ki Jin Kim, David Ariniello, Keira Kim, Collin Lim, Teddy Lee, Yoori Park, Cedric Vu;
Production year: 2016;
Genre: drama;
Duration: 93 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,1;
More information about the film “Spa Night” on the website imdb.com
“American Desi”, 2001
Director: Piyush Dinker Pandya
A comedy about a college freshman who was born in the U.S. to Indian parents and wants to distance himself from his Indian heritage, which becomes an issue when he moves in with three Indian roommates.
Starring: Deep Katdare, Purva Bedi, Ronobir Lahiri, Rizwan Manji, Kal Penn, Anil Kumar, Sunita Param, Alaudin Ullah, Eric Axen, Sanjit De Silva, Sunil Malhotra, Ami Shukla, Krishen Mehta, Smita Patel, Bina Sharif, Tirlok Malik, Ravi Khanna, Peggy Robinson, Pradip Kothari, Sarika Chawla, Maya Vyas, Sujana Chandrasekhar, Prabha Prasad, M. Ramamathan, Sajan Ramanathan, Lakshmi Ramanathan, Chetan Rangachar, Kailas Rangachar, Leela Rangachar, Raghu Rangachar, Sumana Rangachar, Rebecca Hewitt, Lauren Taub, Joanne Stern, Kevin Kane, Peter Brouwer, D. Jiminez, Sarah Iffland, Kim Donovan, Robert Roznowski, Mirjana Pekovic, Hsin-Ping Chang, Bhavesh Pandya, Dipen Patel, Chau Tai, Danny Talati, Ricky Talati, Matt Mitler, Nicki Cochrane, Yolande Bavan, Elena Melnik, Sarah Hutson, Cindy List, Ellen Mendlow, Denise Oswald, Sally Randa, Heather Robinson, Rekha Malhotra, Sujit Chawla, Laura Lockwood, Raj Pandya, Smruti Pandya, Amit Pandya, Jigar Pandya, Eshna Pandya, Ragini Pandya, Kamal Patel, Niti Patel, Tanvi H. Amin, Megha Barot, Nidhi Chaudhary, Arti Desai, Avana Desai, Bina Desai, Shalmalee Desai, Vaishali Desai, Adarsh Doshi, Sonam Dubal, Shavata Gaind, Amish Jani, Anshu Kamkolkar, Nidhi Khanna, Punchali Khanna, Rima Kotak, Madhuri Kothari, Joti Malhotra, Pooja Mehta, Sanjay Mehta, Kaushal Pandya, Ajay Patel, Amar Patel, Ami Patel, Arti Patel, Arpana Patel, Avni Patel, Bijal Patel, Binny Patel, Dhruva Patel, Gaurav Patel, Hemal Patel, Jayna Patel, Jeegisha Patel, Krina Patel, Kruti Patel, Palka Patel, Payal Patel, Prital Patel, Rachit Patel, Rinku Patel, Ritesh Patel, Roshni Patel, Ruta Patel, Sejal Patel, Shivani Patel, Sonali G. Patel, Suketu Patel, Sweta Patel, Tapan Patel, Tulsi Patel, Vishal Patel, Amit Shah, Prapti Shah, Purvi Shah, Ritesh Shah, Kavita Vishnuram, Joshil Vitha, Parag Vora, Amar Adatia;
Production year: 2001;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,6;
More information about the film “American Desi” on the website imdb.com
Remember, this is a non-exhaustive list, and there are many other films that touch upon Asian immigration in various ways, reflecting the diverse experiences of Asia's many cultures.
In conclusion, films about Asian immigration offer a powerful lens through which audiences can explore the multifaceted experiences of Asian immigrants and their descendants. By delving into themes of identity, cultural assimilation, and the quest for belonging, these films not only entertain but also educate and provoke thoughtful discussions. They challenge prevailing stereotypes and provide a more nuanced understanding of the immigrant experience, fostering greater empathy and cultural awareness. As demographics continue to shift and global migration remains a prominent issue, the stories depicted in these films become increasingly relevant, underscoring the importance of diverse representation in cinema and the profound impact it can have on society.
