Mission
We EMPOWER and EQUIP Asian Pacific Islander American filmmakers to tell their unique, entertaining, and powerful stories.
“It’s an honor just to be Asian.”
The Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Minnesotan Film Collective was founded by filmmaking artists Naomi Ko and Kazua Melissa Vang in 2018 to create space and opportunities for the APIA filmmaking community in Minnesota. We train filmmakers, provide arts learning opportunities, and grant funds to filmmakers so they can produce their original narrative fiction work. Since our inception, 26 short films and episodic projects have been shot and filmed in Minnesota by collective members. We have also provided free workshops and mentorship on grant writing, which has led to individual filmmaking artists winning over $200,000 to support their work.
Current Programming
Directors’ Lab: Each year, two early career Minnesota-based APIA directors are selected to direct and produce a scene from a short film script—one that they developed from the Short Film Lab or from a short film script they wrote—with a full crew, cast, and on location. Artists receive mentorship from teaching artists before, during, and after production, peer-to-peer engagement to provide feedback on projects and process, access to space, and critical response on their project from the selection committee. Selected directors also receive specific mentorship from their assigned teaching artist before and after in-person sessions, and critical response from their peers and mentors during the lab.
Supported by the Jerome Foundation
New Works! Lab: Six APIA filmmakers will have their short films fully produced. Writer-Directors receive funds and access to equipment to shoot their films that they developed during our 2022-2023 Short Film Lab.
This work is funded in part by mhc with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund that was created with the vote of the people of minnesota on November 4, 2008.
Film Screenings: Our filmmakers will be screening their work throughout Minnesota in 2025. We will have two screenings in Saint Paul and one in Crookston. More information to come.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Leadership
L-R: Naomi Ko, Kazua Melissa Vang, and Tsuab Yang
Featured Project
HMONG ORGANIZATION
is a mockumentary web series created by May Lee-Yang and Peter Yang about a dysfunctional Hmong nonprofit organization and the people who work there.
Creative Advisors, Mentors, and Teaching Artists
Andrew Ahn (Writer-Director | The Wedding Banquet, Fire Island, Bridgeton, Spa Night)
Maegan Houang (Writer-Director | Shogun)
Winnie Kemp (Creative Executive | Super Deluxe, Sundance Channel, Netflix)
Ki Jin Kim (Cinematographer, Producer | The Wedding Banquet, Fire Island, Spa Night, Columbus)
James Lee (Writer, Producer, Audio Creator | John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA, You Feeling This?, Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom, Moonface)
Pete Lee (Writer-Director | Don’t Be a Hero)
Lauren Lukow (Producer, Creative Executive | Sundance Institute)
Bing Liu (Writer-Director | Minding the Gap)
Carolyn Mao (Producer | Marvelous and the Black Hole, 26.2 to Life)
Viet Nguyen (Director | The Brothers Sun, Party Down, High Potential)
Hye Yun Park (Writer, Director, Actor, Comedian | High Maintenance, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, BKPI, Hey Yun)
Judy Phu (Cinematographer | This Close, A Black Lady Sketch Show)
R. Scott Okamoto (Author, Podcaster | Asian American Apostate, Chapel Probation)
Atsuko Okatsuka (Comedian, Actress, Filmmaker | The Intruder)
Yoko Okumura (Writer-Director | Unseen, Good Trouble, The Bold Type)
Andrew Peterson (Writer-Director, Community Leader | FilmNorth)
Thomas Reyes (Writer | The Great North)
Sun Yung Shin (Writer, Poet, Creative Coach | The Wet Hex)
Ean Weslynn (Writer, Director, Actor | Black Monday)
Kevin Yee (Writer, Actor, Director | Dickinson, How to Die Alone)
