As a proud FilipinX / Asian American / Nerd of Color, I am often asked about my culture and upbringing and dependent on how I’m feeling that day… that situation can go many ways; BUT, for AAPI Heritage Month, I am loud and I AM PROUD. However, it must be said that this past year and a half has been a rather difficult one for our community. The ugly face that is racism became even more pronounced and we now rally under the banner of #StopAsianHate. Life has become traumatic for many of us… but for me and others I know, it only deepened our pride, because we know that WE BELONG. We have fought hard for us to be here and we will not allow the negativity to deter us. Our existence is our resistance. You are going to SEE US.
And with that… my friends over at HBO Max are showing their support for the AAPI community by launching this Saturday: See Us: AAPI And Our Global Community!
See Us will showcase the range, diversity, and spirit of the community during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month and beyond. HBO Max is committed to the mission of sharing and amplifying our rich history of diverse stories and talent, this HBO Max spotlight page celebrates the visionaries amongst us, and collectively promotes and supports the telling of stories from the Asian and AAPI perspective, while also acknowledging the importance of representation moving forward.
See Us will offer hours of curated programming, featuring compelling films and series including Mortal Kombat, Crazy Rich Asians, Life of Pi, and Warrior, documentaries like Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness, Chasing Life with Sanjay Gupta, and Tiger, reality shows such as House of Ho, animation titles like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Weathering With You, and Earwig and the Witch, and other original programming that honors the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in entertainment.
#REPRESENTATIONMATTERS
Films born out of HBO’s Asian Pacific American Visionaries (APAV) Short Film Competition will also be featured on the spotlight page, including the 2020 winning films Lonely Night directed by Johnson Cheng, Fine China directed by Tiffany So and Si directed by Thomas Kim. Established in 2016, HBO Visionaries provides an unprecedented platform for emerging filmmakers to share their unique and diverse perspectives of the community. Now in its fifth year, APAV serves to showcase cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, awarding the top three winners with cash prizes and the opportunity to have their projects premiere on HBO and available to stream on HBO Max.
To top it off, as part of HBO Max’s Guest Curator Program, Jamie Chung from HBO’s Lovecraft Country is curating an exclusive playlist of her favorite films and series. Her recommendations include titles such as The High Note (directed by Nisha Ganatra), Made for Love, Unscripted, How to Make it in America, and Lovecraft Country as well.
Below you will find a list of curations that will be included on the See Us spotlight page:
SEE US IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA
Feel starstruck by outstanding AAPI actors at the heart of big stories you’ve been
meaning to watch.
● Aquaman, 2018
● Awkwafina is Nora From Queens
● Ballers (HBO)
● Crazy Rich Asians, 2018
● Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, 2019 (HBO)
● Genera+ion
● Hero, 2004 (HBO)
● Life of Pi, 2012 (HBO)
● The Matrix Trilogy
● Mortal Kombat, 2021
● The Namesake, 2007 (HBO)
● The Night Of (HBO)
● Rampage, 2018
● Rumble in the Bronx, 1996
● Rush Hour Movie Collection
● Snowpiercer (Series)
● The Tuxedo, 2002 (HBO)
● Warrior (HBO)
SEE US BEHIND THE CAMERA
Produced, written, or directed by us.
● All-Star Superman, 2011 (Sam Liu)
● Batman and Harley Quinn, 2017 (Sam Liu)
● Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn, 2020 (Cathy Yan) (HBO)
● Crazy Rich Asians, 2018 (Jon M. Chu)
● Fine China, 2020 (Tiffany So) (HBO)
● HBO Access 2015 04: The Last Song, 2015 (Sasie Sealy) (HBO)
● HBO Access 2016 03: F**ked Up, 2016 (Kevin Lau) (HBO)
● Heroin: Cape Cod, USA, 2015 (Steven Okazaki) (HBO)
● Justice League vs. Teen Titans, 2016 (Sam Liu)
● Lonely Blue Night, 2020 (Johnson Cheng) (HBO)
● The Night Of (HBO)
● Si, 2020 (Thomas Kim) (HBO)
● Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay, 2018 (Sam Liu)
● Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, 2017 (Sam Liu)
● True Detective (Season 1 directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga) (HBO)
● The Tuxedo, 2002 (HBO)
● Warrior (HBO)
● Westworld (Lisa Joy) (HBO)
SEE OUR REAL STORIES
Dive into documentaries, reality shows, and more favorites that highlight our community.
● Chasing Life With Sanjay Gupta
● House of Ho
● Meet the Patels, 2014
● The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan
● The Problem with Apu, 2013
● Ravi Patel’s Pursuit of Happiness
● This is Life with Lisa Ling
● Tiger, 2021 (HBO)
SEE OUR TRAILBLAZERS: SATYAJIT RAY
Essential movies from the prolific filmmaker, on what would have been his 100th
birthday.
● An Enemy of the People, 1989
● Aparajito, 1956
● The Big City, 1963
● Charulata, 1964
● The Coward, 1965
● The Elephant God, 1979
● The Hero, 1966
● The Holy Man, 1965
● The Home and the World, 1984
● The Music Room, 1958
● Pather Panchali, 1955
● The Stranger, 1991
● The World of Apu, 1959
SEE OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Wide-ranging films from the largest continent on Earth.
● The 47 Ronin Part 1, 1941
● The 47 Ronin Part 2, 1941
● The Garden of Evening Mists, 2021 (HBO)
● *Godzilla Collection
● *Hanzo the Razor Trilogy
● House, 1977
● In the Mood for Love, 2001
● Jackie Chan’s First Strike, 1997
● Kwaidan, 1965
● Lady Snowblood, 1974
● Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance, 1974
● Late Autumn, 1973
● Late Spring, 1949
● *Lone Wolf and Cub Movie Collection
● Onibaba, 1964
● Osaka Elegy, 1936
● *Samurai Trilogy
● Tampopo, 1985
● Tokyo Story, 1953
● Ugetsu, 1953
SEE OUR TRAILBLAZERS: AKIRA KUROSAWA
Admire works from one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of
cinema.
● Ikiru, 1956
● Rashomon, 1950
● Seven Samurai, 1954
● The Hidden Fortress, 1960
● Throne of Blood, 1957
● Yojimbo, 1961
SEE US IN YOUR NEXT FAVORITE SHOW
We’re evolving what it means to be a leading actor with these underrated picks.
● Folklore (HBO)
● Food Lore (HBO)
● Grace (HBO)
● Invisible Stories (HBO)
● Miss Sherlock (HBO)
● Sent (HBO)
● The Teenage Psychic (HBO)
● The World Between Us (HBO)
● Warrior (HBO)
SEE US IN ANIMATION
Creators that are redefining the genre.
● Aldnoah.Zero
● Blue Exorcist
● Bungo Stray Dogs
● The Cat Returns, 2002
● Earwig and the Witch, 2021
● Erased
● Food Wars! Shokugeki No Soma
● From Up on Poppy Hill, 2011
● Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
● The God of High School
● Hunter x Hunter
● In/Spectre
● Inuyasha
● Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
● Kiznaiver
● Konosuba – God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World
● My Neighbors the Yamadas, 2000
● The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl, 2017
● Ocean Waves, 1993
● Only Yesterday, 1991
● Pom Poko, 1994
● Promare, 2019
● The Promised Neverland
● Puella Magi Madoka Magica
● Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World
● Ride Your Wave, 2019
● Rokka – Braves of the Six Flowers
● Rurouni Kenshin
● Schwarzes Marken
● The Secret World of Arrietty, 2010
● The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, 2013
● Tower of God
● Weathering With You, 2019
● Whisper of the Heart, 1995
● Your Lie in April
SEE OUR TRAILBLAZERS: HAYAO MIYAZAKI
Only respect for the iconic filmmaker and co-founder of Studio Ghibli.
● Castle in the Sky, 1986
● Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004
● Kiki’s Delivery Service, 1998
● The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, 2013
● My Neighbor Totoro, 1990
● Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, 2016
● Ponyo, 2008
● Porco Rosso, 1992
● Princess Mononoke, 1997
● Spirited Away, 2002
● The Wind Rises, 2013
To learn more about how you can support the AAPI communities, visit: https://www.stopaapihate.org.
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