Anna May Wong, a third generation Chinese American, knew she wanted to be a movie star from the time she was a young girl. Though she acted alongside Anthony Quinn, Douglas Fairbanks and, most infamously, Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express, she spent most of her career type-casted as a painted doll or a scheming dragon lady—few know that she was one of the only actors to successfully transition from silent films to the talkies. While older generations frowned upon the roles she played, today she is seen as a pioneering artist. This engrossing doc explores the impact Wong had on Asian American women in Hollywood, both then and now.
"A pioneering artist who succeeded in a hostile environment that hasn’t altogether changed." - KPBS
Promotional Partner: Toronto Chinatown BIA