Think!Chinatown is proud to present a selection of our storytelling projects we’ve produced over the years at the brand new Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film! These thoughtful stories made by, in, and for our community, speak to the experiences, histories, and lives of our Chinatown community. On October 11th and 12th, screening begins promptly at 7pm. On October 12th, there will be a Q&A following the screening.
“Shopping in Chinatown”
“Shopping in Chinatown” celebrates the diversity of the Chinese diaspora found in Manhattan’s Chinatown through the lens of everyday kitchen ingredients. In this three-episode series, each video features a Chinatown aunty or uncle who will take us along on their typical grocery shopping experiences in the neighborhood. They will explain what they buy and how these products are reflective of their regional background. There’s Meemee, the sword wielding Cantonese aunty. There’s Angle, owner of the Teochew snack shop, New York Bo Ky. And then there are Aunty Chen and Aunty Lian, opera singers from Fujian! Each person shows us a slightly different culinary side of Chinatown’s familiar streets.
The mission of this series is to highlight Chinatown’s small businesses and locally made delicacies. As such, this is a part of and supported by the Department of Small Business Services as part of the All In NYC campaign.
Video Production: Hai-Li Kong | Production Support: Alice Liu | Producer: Yin Kong | Advising Creative: Shahbano Farid and Aaron Reiss
"An Ode to Our Generations: Remembering the Music and Memories of Yellow Pearl and Basement Workshop"
Originally premiering at Chinatown Arts Week 2021, "An Ode to Our Generations" is back at 21 Pell to pay tribute to the generations of artist-activists in Chinatown of the past and present. In this special revival, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter treya lam performs songs from Yellow Pearl, a 1972 art book by the collective known as Basement Workshop in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Originally meant to illustrate the music of Chris Iijima, Nobuko Miyamoto, and Charlie Chin, Yellow Pearl grew into a 57 page compilation of writing, art, and music by over 30 Asian American artists.
Original music by: Chris Ijima, Nobuko Yamamoto, and Charlie Chin | Performed by: treya lam | Producer: Yin Kong | Story Production: Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan
“Grand Rising”
From Chinatown Arts Week 2020, “Grand Rising” is a film about Domingo Anthony, one of the first Black landowners of New Netherland circa July 13th, 1643. After negotiating their freedom, Domingo and Catalina Anthony received land grants, their farms would have been the Southeastern corner of today’s Chinatown. The film follows the ghost of Domingo, played by Charles Johnson, as he moves through the territory that would have been his farm as he observes what has and has not changed.
This commission is a duet between Kamau Ware, founder of Black Gotham Experience (BGX), and Charles Johnson, a model/stylist & visual artist who plays Domingo in the BGX Universe.
“Our Tribute to Corky Lee”
“Our Tribute to Corky Lee” remembers our dear friend and community member. Through a selection of photographs, video footage, and testimonials, we use art to pay tribute to the force that was Corky. Known as the “Unofficial Undisputed Asian American Photographer Laureate”, Corky made a conscious decision during his lifetime to commit himself to making Asian Pacific Americans more visible in the American landscape. His images not only document but also visually empower others to examine stereotypes and fight for social causes and inequality. Corky’s body of work, which has been described as “only a small attempt to rectify omissions in our history text books,” has appeared in numerous ethnic and mainstream press including among others Time magazine, The New York Times, The Village Voice, Associated Press, The Villager and Downtown Express.
Photography: Corky Lee | Audio + Storytelling: Rochelle Kwan | Storytellers: Rochelle Kwan, Cindy Trinh, Michael Stewart | Videography: Eric Jenkins Sahlin, Hai-Li Kong, Kamau Ware | Art Installations: “Photographic Justice” by Jia Sung & “Newsstand Lantern” by Prisca Choe
The Art of Storytelling series brings us into the everyday lives of people who have long called Chinatown home. Bringing together our neighbors and Asian American artists, this series challenges us to reimagine how we collectively remember and honor the histories of our Chinatown community members. For this screening, T!C presents three stories from the collection:
“What I Wanted Most || 我哋即係最想得到”
Artist Christina Chung brings the story of our Chinatown neighbors, Yan Ping Zhong and Ying Wu, to life. The animated short “What I Wanted Most || 我哋即係最想得到”, Yan Ping Zhong remembers her difficult journey as an immigrant from Guangzhou, China to Panama to New York City Chinatown. Through their memories of migration and the once booming garment factories of Chinatown, Yan Ping and her daughter, Ying Wu, challenge us to demystify the promises of the American Dream and Gold Mountain (金山) that continue to bring immigrants to Chinatown and the U.S. for a better life for their loved ones.
Storytellers: Yan Ping Zhong 鍾雁萍 and Ying Wu 吳瑩瑩 | Illustrations: Christina Chung | Audio Production: Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan | Video Production: Hai-Li Kong | Producer: Yin Kong
“Who He Was”
In this 2020 Art of Storytelling animated short, artist Jacqueline Tam reimagines a conversation between Nancy Sing-Bock and her daughter, Jennifer Sing-Bock. In “Who He Was,” Nancy tells us the story of her father An Van Sing and his journey from a small village outside of Shanghai to New York. Nancy recalls growing up biracial in 1950’s Chinatown, where her father worked hard to build a life for himself and his children. “Who He Was” is a story about how important family was to An Van Sing, Nancy, and today Jennifer.
Storytellers: Nancy Sing-Bock and Jennifer Sing-Bock | Illustrations: Jacqueline Tam | Audio Production: Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan | Video Editing & Animation: Laura Lee | Producer: Yin Kong
“A Better Life”
Artist Xinmei Liu brings to life Robert Wu’s childhood memories right here in Chinatown. In “A Better Life,” Robert Wu shares with his daughter Katherine Wu their family’s immigration story from Toisan to New York City. Robert fondly remembers his formative years of childhood shenanigans in the streets of Chinatown and the importance of family that was passed down from his father and now to his own children today.
Storytellers: Robert Wu and Katherine Wu | Illustrations: Xinmei Liu | Audio Production: Rochelle Hoi-Yiu Kwan | Video Production: Hai-Li Kong | Producer: Yin Kong
Co-presented with Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV). The “Shopping in Chinatown” video series is sponsored by the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS).
