With a treasure trove of clips from over 90 films, Hollywood Chinese traces the American film industry’s representation of the Chinese during its first 100 years. Scenes ranging from the first feature film made by Chinese Americans in 1917 to breakout Oscar wins are interwoven with interviews of Chinese and Chinese American artists who reveal stories of working in Hollywood. White actors, such as Luise Rainer and Christopher Lee, recall their yellowface performances to explain the now-controversial practice. Hollywood Chinese, produced and directed by series Guest Programmer Arthur Dong, is a fitting roadmap to embark on the upcoming film series:

“[T]his is a subject at once rich and complex, encompassing social history and racial politics no less than film history. It’s a challenge to make sense of material that includes Bruce Lee, Ang Lee, and Christopher Lee (he starred in five Fu Manchu pictures). But Hollywood Chinese…manages to do it. The documentary is smart, lively, and informative.” —Mark Feeney, The Boston Globe