
12 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Filmmakers Selected for the Annual Program to Strengthen Representation in Independent Media
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF., February 13, 2025 - The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and the nonprofit Sundance Institute have partnered for a third year of the Sundance Institute | The Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship, providing Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) artists working in film and television with professional development resources and opportunities to connect with peers and mentors. The initiative supports creatives at all stages of their career from emerging artists to more seasoned professionals with the goal of meaningfully increasing AANHPI representation in independent media.
TAAF's support for the program underscores its commitment to narrative change, promoting more diverse and nuanced portrayals of AANHPIs on screen. Authentic representation in media is about more than just visibility-it's about creating a sense of belonging for our communities, and fostering greater safety and prosperity, said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. When our stories are told by us with depth and complexity, they can challenge and dismantle stereotypes, strengthen our shared identity, and contribute to a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive.
Each year, the Fellowship program provides six AANHPI artists at critical junctures in their career with a year-long fellowship that focuses on advancing their creative and technical development. Fellows receive creative guidance, practical support, and a $20,000 unrestricted grant. In addition, six emerging AANHPI creatives are awarded Scholarships, which include a year-long artist development experience that offers mentorship from a Sundance artist alumnus, personalized career and project support , and opportunities to engage with Sundance staff and the broader creative community virtually and in person at the Sundance Film Festival. Artists may work in either film or television, across both fiction and nonfiction genres.
Our ongoing partnership with The Asian American Foundation reaffirms our commitment to uplifting AANHPI artists and ensuring their stories influence independent film and television. By offering essential financial and career development support at a pivotal moment in an artist's career, we empower them to thrive and create work that resonates beyond their immediate communities. We're honored to celebrate the third year of the Fellowship and Scholarship and eagerly anticipate the incredible impact these artists will make, said Hajnal Molnar-Szakacs, Director, Artist Accelerator and Women at Sundance at Sundance Institute.
The Sundance Institute | The Asian American Foundation Fellowship and Scholarship was created in 2022 through the generous financial support of founding partners Panda Express, who provided the grant to TAAF, and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, to provide artists with grants and year-round resources to help facilitate professional growth and industry connections.
The artists selected for the year three cohort of fellows are:
Nicole Docta
About the Artist: Nicole Docta is an award-winning filmmaker who's focused her career on socially impactful projects and BIPOC stories. Docta was a Special Initiatives Producer at Firelight Media, is a DOC NYC 40 Under 40 Alum, Producers Guild of America Create Alum, Sundance Institute Producer Fellow and Impact Partners Producer Fellow.
Project: Adopting | All adoptions start with a trauma. Through this lens, Adopting explores adoption practices in need of reform. The film explores the emotional journey unique to adopted people and the life-long lessons generations of adoptees have to offer.
Masami Kawai
About the Artist: Masami Kawai is a Los Angeles-born filmmaker of Ryukyuan descent. She was a Sundance Institute Screenwriting and Directing Fellow, participated in Gotham Project Market and Film Independent's FastTrack. Her films have screened in various venues the Rotterdam Film Festival, LACMA, and Palm Springs ShortFest.
Project: Valley of the Tall Grass | A TV/VCR combo set is thrown out, but it survives and circulates through the lives of various working-class indigenous characters of color in an Oregon town. They find forgotten memories, love, and connection through this seemingly obsolete object.
Courtney Loo
About the Artist: Courtney Loo is a writer-director & entrepreneur. She's a 2024 Sundance Institute Screenwriting Fellow and 2023 Almanack Screenwriting Fellow. Her latest short premiered at SXSW 2023. As an entrepreneur, Loo co-founded a management company that reps multi-platinum musicians. Bangbang Teahouse will be her debut feature.
Project: Bangbang Teahouse | Hayley and Mimi - a Chinese American music duo - stop at absolutely nothing to convince their label to release their long-awaited album over a raucous, self-destructive 48 hours in New York City.
Jess dela Merced
About the Artist: Jess dela Merced is a Sundance Institute Episodic Lab fellow, a director in the Disney-ABC Directing Program, one of Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film, a SFFILM Rainin grant recipient, and a Hamptons Screenwriters Lab participant. Her recent writing credits include a feature comedy for Sony.
Project: SPARES | An aging Filipina mother's belief in putting family first is put to the ultimate test when she unexpectedly reignites her passion for bowling, setting off a high-stakes journey of self-discovery.
Jing Wang
About the Artist: Jing Wang, was born in China, where her name means quiet, Wang has made a stark contrast by vocally advocating through her films. They are powerful stories about the immigrant experience, which highlight her commitment to both her craft and her community.
Project
North America Stories
01/09/2026
Bridge Technologies will announce at IBC2026 (Booth 1.A71) that its VB440 produc...
01/09/2026
DAZN has announced an agreement to acquire EverPass Media, a commercial sports distribution platform serving bars, restaurants, hotels, and other venues in the ...
01/09/2026
The USTA and Kalshi have announced a multi-year partnership making Kalshi the Official Prediction Market Partner of the US Open, beginning with the 2026 US Open...
01/09/2026
MASV will exhibit at IBC2026 (Booth 5.B40, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14). CTO Majed Alhajry will appear on a panel session, A Tale of Two Feeds: Automation o...
01/09/2026
FingerWorks Telestrators has announced a partnership with Broadcast Rental to ex...
01/09/2026
FOR-A has announced the expansion of viztrick AiDi into two dedicated products: Go Vertical! AiDi and AiDi Sports Hub. Developed by Nippon TV and delivered glob...
01/09/2026
Sony Pictures Television has launched Live TV on PS5, a free ad-supported streaming experience available to PS5 players in the United States. The service is acc...
01/09/2026
Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin has installed a Riedel production infrastructure spanning video, intercom, control, and I/O across the venue, implemented in col...
01/09/2026
Arkona technologies GmbH has announced an OEM partnership with BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH to offer arkona-branded control panels for its SDI-IP routing ...
01/09/2026
Cricket Australia has launched Cricket TV, a direct-to-consumer streaming service built on Eluvio's Content Fabric platform. The service is currently in ear...
01/09/2026
Eluvio has announced it was selected to power Pasifika , a new direct-to-consume...
01/09/2026
Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, has appointed Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. The appointment marks ...
01/09/2026
Gravity Media has announced a multi-year renewal of its agreement with Stawell Gift Event Management to produce the complete broadcast of the Powercor Stawell G...
01/09/2026
Beam Dynamics will exhibit at IBC2026 for the first time (Stand 14.FT29, Hall 14), introducing License Intelligence, a new module for managing software licenses...
01/09/2026
Interra Systems has announced that ZOO Digital has selected BATON for file-based quality control across its media workflows. ZOO Digital delivers localized ente...
01/09/2026
Bridge Technologies has announced the deployment of its VB330 monitoring probe at Sunrise, supporting the Swiss telecommunications provider's IP-based telev...
01/09/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the continued expansion of its managed coach communications partnership with Scottish Rugby Union, now entering its third se...
01/09/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
01/09/2026
SMPTE today detailed the centerpiece of its IBC2026 program: the SMPTE Roadshow: Future of Media Infrastructure, a full-day workshop on Monday, 14 September, th...
01/09/2026
New York August 31, 2026 Nielsen is announcing four new local methodology enhancements that will be activated into Local TV currency data starting today, Au...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Pronology, a developer of cutting-edge broadcast workflow solutions, showcases the newest capabilities for its StreamFile Core platform at the 2026 IBC Show (S...
01/09/2026
PROTON Unveils Next-Generation FLEXY Camera at IBC 2026
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
10-metre serialised coax unlocks new perspectives an...
01/09/2026
Hulu Drama The Season Graded with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
Senior Colorist Mark Kueper of Picture Shop crafts ...
01/09/2026
Pluxbox Launches CoreOC to Transform Mission-Critical Media Operations
Brie Clayton September 1, 2026
0 Comments
A vendor-agnostic operational control l...
01/09/2026
Layercake, the company behind the intelligent media workflow platform Streamcake, today announced the appointment of Jon Marquard as Director and Chairperson. T...
01/09/2026
Actus Digital, a LiveU company, will unveil the next generation of its Actus X platform at IBC2026 on LiveUs Stand 7.C24, demonstrating how broadcasters can sim...
01/09/2026
Broadcast Solutions, a leading systems integrator and provider of innovative solutions for the broadcast media industry, delivered transformational technology a...
01/09/2026
Quortex, the intelligent video technology company carved out from Synamedia by Lumine Group, today announced that Odisha Television Network (OTV), the leading r...
01/09/2026
Zixi and Ateme today announced an expanded strategic partnership to help broadcasters and content owners accelerate the transition from satellite to resilient I...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/09/2026
New Products, New Workflows: Telos Alliance Heads to IBC 2026
Search
CLEVELAND, Ohio, September 1, 2026 Telos Alliance , trusted global leader in broadca...
01/09/2026
On-device AI platform gives broadcasters and content creators purpose-built tool...
31/08/2026
Pixotope Technologies has announced a unified platform offering all Pixotope capabilities across three editions, available with the Pixotope 26.3 release in Q3 ...
31/08/2026
FingerWorks Telestrators, the industry leader in software-based telestration and live sports analysis solutions, announces its new partnership with Broadcast R...
31/08/2026
ARISDA Bridge Launches: DaVinci Resolve Timecode, Studio Clock, and Work-Time Tr...
31/08/2026
Short Film All That's Left Shot with URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 31, 2026
0 Comments
Intimate drama edited and graded in DaVinci Resolve ...
31/08/2026
Bridge Technologies Announces Support for Blackmagic IP10 Codec
Brie Clayton August 31, 2026
0 Comments
Both booths will showcase each other's tec...
31/08/2026
Creative COW Roundtable, August 23, 2026- AEAI
Brie Clayton August 31, 2026
0 Comments
COWs from around the world assemble to discuss Using AI to Beat...
31/08/2026
Homecoming Artist Spotlight: Susan Tedeschi The Grammy-winning singer and guitarist talks about finding her voice at Berklee ahead of her Homecoming performan...