Mission

The Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Minnesotan Film Collective is an initiative to create, promote, and empower underrepresented and low-income filmmakers in Minnesota. We will build our community’s artistic and economic vitality through filmmaking by providing free programs throughout the Twin Cities.

History

The Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Minnesotan Film Collective is an initiative to create space and opportunities for the APIA filmmaking community in the Twin Cities. We bring together APIA (as well as our POC and Native family) filmmakers who are in need of a space to write their screenplays, produce new film works, and receive criticism. We solely focus on narrative-driven content in the 1/2-hour TV, hour TV, and feature film space. 

There is a lack of representation of APIA narratives and there are no APIA Minnesotan narratives in mainstream media. APIAs are one of the most underrepresented groups in film, TV, and entertainment. According to the University of Southern California’s 2018 Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, APIAs only made up 3.2% of filmmakers from 2007-2017. 

Founders

Co-founded in 2015 by Naomi Ko and Melissa Vang.

Funders

Our generous supporters include: Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, Minnesota Humanities Center, Building More Philanthropy with Purpose, Headwaters Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and Springboard for the Arts.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.