Past Screenings & Events

The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor

Stories We Didn’t Learn in School

September 20, 2020 at 6:30pm PST

The live event has passed, but can be seen online via the info link below.

Info: https://youtu.be/8l9eciDHMz8

Presented as part of the Cambodia Town Film Festival, Stories We Didn’t Learn in School discusses the stories that weren’t taught in schools. This Facebook Live event features panelists/filmmakers Chris Lockett (Until They’re Gone), Arthur Dong (The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor), James Taing (Ghost Mountain), and Rithy Hanh (In The Life of Music). Hosted by Shawna Lesseur.

Screening & Reception: Director in Attendance

November 9, 2017 at 2:45-5pm

Ethnic Cultural Theater
University of Washington
3931 Brooklyn Avenue, NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Info: https://us.eventbu.com/seattle/special-screening-killing-fields-of-dr-haing-s-ngor/6913463

The Khmer Students Association at the University of Washington presents a special screening of The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor. A reception and in-person Q & A with director Arthur Dong follows. In partnership with the 2017 PICA Conference, the Organization of Chinese Americans, and Asian Student Union, University of Washington. FREE.

Streaming Online

Case Studies of Social Impact Films

April 20, 2023 at 11am-1pm (PDT)

Virtual Event
Free, registration required

Info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/case-studies-of-social-impact-films-tickets-598743627307

Join this 3rd event in Social Impact Entertainment Society/SIE’s webinar series on creating social change through film & TV. Hear from practitioners Rosalina Jowers (Director of Communications and Marketing, Participant Media), Arthur Dong (CEO and Founder of DeepFocus Productions, Inc.), and Christian Monti (COO of Cinelytic). Moderated by Jeff Chao (Head of Finance of the SIE Society). Free, registration required.

Asian Pacific American Award in Literature Ceremony

Virtual Event

Info: https://www.apalaweb.org/awards/literature-awards/

Join Hollywood Chinese writer Arthur Dong and fellow honorees in celebration at the Asian Pacific American Award in Literature Ceremonies, followed by a live chat session with authors. The Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association, an affiliate of the American Library Association, will recognize titles based on their literary and artistic merit. Originally broadcast June 18, 2021. Click here to watch the awards ceremony.  Click here to watch the post-awards chat with each author.

Hollywood Chinese Film Series

Streaming through October 31, 2022

The Criterion Channel

Info: https://www.criterionchannel.com/hollywood-chinese-1

Curated by Arthur Dong, the Hollywood Chinese 25-film series spans cinema’s first hundred years to explore the ways in which the Chinese have been imagined in American feature films, confronting an often grotesque legacy of stereotypes and spotlighting the indelible contributions of trailblazing talents. New subscribers can sign up for a 14-day free trial.

Stories We Didn’t Learn in School

Virtual Event

Presented as a program of the Cambodia Town Film Festival, Stories We Didn’t Learn in School explores the stories that weren’t taught in traditional classrooms. Panelists included filmmakers Chris Lockett (Until They’re Gone), Arthur Dong (The Killing Fields of Dr. Haing S. Ngor), James Taing (Ghost Mountain), Rithy Hanh (In The Life of Music), and moderator Shawna Lesseur. Originally broadcast on September 20, 2020. Click here to watch.

Chinatown Pride

March 25, 2021 at 6pm-7pm, PST

Virtual Event

Info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chinatown-pride-tickets-143793216381?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

The Chinese Culture Center (CCC) and San Francisco Pride proudly present Chinatown Pride, an evening of queer art and Chinese culture that features art, drag performances, cocktail demonstrations, and more. Featured artists include Pearl Teese, Tina Takemoto, Heesoo Kwon, Brandon Jew, Chelsea Wong, and Arthur Dong, who will be showing a clip from his film Forbidden City, USA.

“No Asians”: Week Against Racism

Virtual Event

The Pan Asian Collective in Amsterdam presented a screening of Hollywood Chinese to anchor a discussion covering Asian perspectives on racist expressions. The “No Asians!” event was a part of the second annual Week Against Racism interdisciplinary festival. Panelists included Thu Ha Nguyen, Nederlands Filmfonds, and Pete Wu, journalist. The event is in Dutch. Originally broadcast on October 30, 2020. Click here to watch.

Family Pictures USA: LGBTQ History Month

Virtual Event

Filmmaker Thomas Allen Harris hosts a virtual photo-share with LGBTQ photographers, filmmakers, authors and cultural producers. Guests included photographer Lola Flash, performer Justin Clapp, author and filmmaker Arthur Dong (Coming Out Under Fire; Licensed to Kill), filmmaker Jennie Livingston (Paris is Burning), and theater artist Christina Quintana. Originally broadcast on October 26, 2020. Click here to watch.

Family Pictures USA: LGBTQ History Month

October 26, 2020 at 3pm, Pacific Standard Time

The live event has passed, but can be seen online via the info link below.

Info: https://youtu.be/NGkrwgb8YZg

Join filmmaker and host Thomas Allen Harris as  he speaks with LGBTQ photographers, filmmakers, authors and cultural producers who are making history through their work and recording it through their films, archives and family photo albums. The guests include: photographer Lola Flash, performer Justin Clapp, filmmakers Arthur Dong (Coming Out Under Fire; Licensed to Kill) and Jennie Livingston (Paris is Burning) and theater artist Christina Quintana.

Golden Spike Awards Gala

April 28, 2018 at 6pm

Ocean Seafood Restaurant
750 Hill Street.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
323/222-0856

Info: http://www.chssc.org/Events/GoldenSpikeDinner.aspx

Arthur Dong is among the 2018 Golden Spike Award recipients to be honored by The Chinese Historical Society of Southern California for accomplishments in visual storytelling. Fellow honorees are filmmakers Felicia Lowe, Renee Tajiima-Pena, Pamela Tom, and media organization Visual Communications.

Hollywood Chinese

East West Players

8pm

East West Players
120 N Judge John Aiso Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Info: http://eastwestplayers.org/unbroken

Presented by East West Players, Philip W. Chung’s play Unbroken Blossoms is a historical reimagining of the making of a boundary-breaking Hollywood classic that shines a light on the collateral damage in the search for “authentic” representation, and asks what price we pay for art. Learn about the real life characters in the show, James Leong and Moon Kwan, as well as the history of Asian American representation in film at the July 12th post-performance panel “Asian American Film Pioneers.” Panelists includes Paula Yoo, Diana Lee Inosanto, and Arthur Dong and is moderated by author and Board Member, Jeff Yang. And for those who’ve already seen the play but were interested in the panel, just show up after the show at 10PMish.

SF Chinatown Book Talk

June 2, 2024 at 2pm

On Waverly
162 Waverly Place
San Francisco Chinatown

Info: https://www.onwaverly.com/blogs/events/6-2-2pm-book-talk-arthur-dong

On Waverly is thrilled to host San Francisco Chinatown native Arthur Dong for a conversation centering his books, Hollywood Chinese and Forbidden City, USA. This event will be moderated by Curtis Chin, host of InfatuAsian, a podcast that illuminates ways that Asian culture and creators have made our world better. Join us for an intimate afternoon, delving into the wide scope of Arthur’s oeuvre and Curtis & Arthur’s inter-generational Chinatown roots. A book signing follows. This event is FREE but space is limited. RSVP today to secure your spot!

Santa Monica Library: Anna May Wong

May 25, 2024 at 2pm

Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 458-8600

Info: https://www.santamonica.gov/events/4gsse0d655snq116e5jbbk77xa/202405251400

Authors Katie Gee Salisbury (Not My China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong), and Jeff Yang (The Golden Screen: The Movies That Made Asian America), discuss Anna May Wong and other underappreciated Asian American pioneers of the Dawn of Hollywood. Oscar-nominated filmmaker and author Arthur Dong (Hollywood Chinese) moderates the conversation. A book sale and signing follows. Free and open to the public.

Academy Museum: Anna May Wong

May 24, 2024 at 4:30pm

Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
6067 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Info: https://www.academymuseum.org/en/programs/detail/gallery-spotlight-anna-may-wong-with-yunte-huang-018db3aa-8ffe-ac25-d42e-8480a37a6381

The Academy Museum presents a conversation between author Yunte Huang and filmmaker Arthur Dong about the life and career of the famed Chinese American movie star Anna May Wong. Followed by a book signing of Daughter of the Dragon: Anna May Wong’s Rendezvous with American History with author Yunte Huang.

Golden Age of Hollywood Book-Talk

May 21, 2023 at 3-4PM (PDT)

Village Well Books & Coffee
9900 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

Info: https://shop.villagewell.com/events/25272

Join authors Arthur Dong (Hollywood Chinese: The Chinese in American Feature Films), Harlan Lebo (Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker’s Journey), and Darrell Rooney (Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capital) as they discuss the Golden Age of Hollywood. Moderated by NPR arts correspondent Mandalit Del Barco.

Public

Claiming a Voice: The Visual Communications Story

Virtual Screening and Q & A

May 4, 2020 at 5pm, PST; 8pm EST

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival | Virtual Showcase
Online Worldwide

Info: https://tinyurl.com/y8urfr8d

In 1990, Arthur Dong was commissioned by Visual Communications to produced a documentary to mark their 20th anniversary. CLAIMING A VOICE: The Visual Communications Story will stream as part of Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival‘s Virtual Showcase, followed by a live online panel with editor Walt Louie, Dong,and moderator Abraham Ferrer. Free online streaming of the complete film is available starting May 1, 2020; panel is slated for May 4.

Click here to see a recording of the virtual Q & A (start at approximately 6 minutes in).

Coming Out Under Fire

Museum Of Flight

November 5, 2022

The Museum of Flight
9404 E. Marginal Way South
Seattle, WA 98108

Free with museum admission

Info: https://www.museumofflight.org/Plan-Your-Visit/Calendar-of-Events/7588/film-screeningemcoming-out-under-fire-em

The Museum of Flight, the world’s largest independent non-profit air and space museum, presents a screening of the 4K restoration of Coming Out Under Fire. This special program is part of the museum’s commitment to revitalizing their space to be more inclusive of diverse stories and the contributions made by women, people of color, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.

Vancouver: Pioneers of Queer Cinema

September 25, 2022 at 6:30pm

The Cinematheque
1131 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6Z 2L7

Info: https://thecinematheque.ca/films/2022/coming-out-under-fire

The 4K restoration of Coming Out Under Fire plays in Vancouver as part of the Pioneers of Queer Cinema series, which resurrects under-seen queer films and moving images documenting the LGBTQ+ community. Line-up includes films that offer often radical explorations of sexual orientation and gender identity, brimming with heartache, humor, and lust.

Chicago: Pioneers of Queer Cinema

August 31 & September 4, 2022

Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N. State Street
Chicago IL 60601

Info: https://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/coming-out-under-fire

The 4K restoration of Coming Out Under Fire plays in Chicago as part of the Pioneers of Queer Cinema series, which resurrects under-seen queer films and moving images documenting the LGBTQ+ community. Line-up includes films that offer often radical explorations of sexual orientation and gender identity, brimming with heartache, humor, and lust.

New York City: Pioneers of Queer Cinema

July 3 & 10, 2022

Metrograph
7 Ludlow Street
New York, NY 10002

Info: https://metrograph.com/film/?vista_film_id=9999002809

The 4K restoration of Coming Out Under Fire plays in New York City as part of the Pioneers of Queer Cinema series, which resurrects under-seen queer films and moving images documenting the LGBTQ+ community. Line-up includes films that offer often radical explorations of sexual orientation and gender identity, brimming with heartache, humor, and lust.

Los Angeles: Pioneers of Queer Cinema

February 20, 2022

UCLA Film & Television Archive
Billy Wilder Theater
10899 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90024

Info: https://www.cinema.ucla.edu/events/2022/02/20/coming-out-under-fire-tongues-untied

Presented by UCLA Film & Television Archive, Pioneers of Queer Cinema brought together 33 films to showcase radical explorations of sexual orientation and gender identity.” The 4K restoration of Coming Out Under Fire screened Feb 20, 2022 at the Billy Wilder Theater, followed by a Q & A with filmmaker Arthur Dong and Outfest UCLA Legacy Project Manager Brendan Lucas. Watch the conversation here.

Serving with Honor, Not Equality: LGBT Veterans, World War II to Now

April 2, 2017 at 2-4pm

Jewish Community Center
3800 E. River Road.
Tucson AZ

Info: http://soazseniorpride.org/events-upcoming/coming-out-under-fire/

Southern Arizona Senior Pride presents a screening of Coming Out Under Fire with director Arthur Dong in person. A panel discussion with local LGBT veterans follows. This program is one of two events in the series “Another Look at World War 11: Perspectives from Arthur Dong”; see also: Forbidden City, USA event for April 1, 2017. Free.

Download a flyer.

Contact: soazseniorpride@gmail.com  (520) 312-8923

Licensed to Kill

A History of Violence

June 7-28, 2018

SOMArts Cultural Center
934 Brannan Street
San Francisco CA 94103

Info: https://qcc2.org/history-of-violence/

The 21st National Queer Arts Festival presents the exhibition “A History of Violence. The show explores the work of artists who have gazed deeply into the flame of violence, and reacted in ways that allow us a compelling look into queer existence. Excerpts from Arthur Dong’s documentary about convicted killers of gay men, Licensed to Kill, will be shown on a video station throughout the exhibition. Free admission.

Forbidden City, USA

UCR Arts Screening

May 18, 2024 at 7pm

UCR Arts Theater
3824 Main Street
Riverside, CA 92501
(951) 827-4787

Info: https://ucrarts.ucr.edu/films/forbidden-city-usa/

UCR ARTS’ AAPI Film Series presents Forbidden City, USA with director Arthur Dong in attendance. The screening will be followed b a special performance by the Grant Avenue Follies! Dong’s Hollywood Chinese screens the previous evening. Both events are free and open to the public. Reservations required. UCR ARTS’ AAPI Film Series Supported by the Voy and Fay Wong Family Endowment.

Opera: Madama Butterfly Reimagined

September 14-24, 2023

Emerson Colonial Theatre
106 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116

Info: https://blo.org/butterfly/

Boston Lyric Opera opens its 2023/24 Season with a four-performance run of Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Drawing upon this expertise on Chinatown nightclubs, Arthur Dong serves as Historical Dramaturge for this re-imagined production under the direction of Phil Chan, co-founder of the advocacy group Final Bow for Yellowface. The brand-new production takes place in 1940s America under the shadow of World War II in San Francisco. Amid Puccini’s lush and sweeping score, Chan’s radical re-envisioning unfolds through the story of Butterfly, a Chinatown nightclub performer, and Pinkerton, a young soldier on the eve of his deployment.

Download the Boston Globe feature story here.

Exhibit: Madama Butterfly, History Comes to Life

September 14-24, 2023

Emerson
118 Boylston Street
Boston MA, 02116

Info: https://www.deepfocusproductions.com/madama-butterfly-boston-lyric-opera/

Curated in partnership with historian and filmmaker Arthur Dong, “History Comes to Life in Madama Butterfly”, explores Boston Lyric Opera’s new production of Puccini’s opera through the lens of its inspirations, from San Francisco’s storied nightclub Forbidden City to the mass incarceration of thousands of American citizens following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Dance on Camera Festival Showcase

July 16-18, 2021

Virtual presentation

Info: https://virtual.filmlinc.org/tv/dance-on-camera-program-1-features/1

Forbidden City, USA is a featured selection of the 49th Dance on Camera Festival for a showcase of films from each decade since the festival’s inauguration in 1971. An exclusive conversation between director Arthur Dong and Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, accompanies the virtual screening of this classic film, which has been beautifully restored from original negatives by UCLA Film & Television Archive.

CANCELLED: Forbidden City, USA: Chinatown Nightclubs 1936-1970

TBA 2019

Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90012

Info: http://www.janm.org

The Japanese American National Museum has commissioned filmmaker/writer Arthur Dong to curate an exhibit featuring his treasure trove of memorabilia chronicling the magic and glamour of San Francisco’s Chinatown nightclub era. The show will be an expanded version of his popular exhibition that originally premiered at the San Francisco Public Library in 2014.

Screening and Book Talk

July 7, 2018 at 2-4pm

Santa Clara University
Recital Hall, SCU Performing Arts Building
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053

Info: https://www.scu.edu/osher/calendar/#!view/event/date/20180707/event_id/65416

Arthur Dong will present his film and book Fobidden City, USA at the University of Santa Clara. The event is part of the university’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute’s summer program and is open to the public. Books and DVDs will be available for purchase and signing.

Sunday Supper Cinema

May 7, 2017

Wisp Restaurant and Lounge
2885 Kalakaua Ave
Honolulu, HI 96815

Dinner at 5:30pm
Film at 7pm

Info: 808/436-4326

Screening, Book Talk & Signing

April 1, 2017 at 5-9pm

Tucson Chinese Cultural Center
1288 W. River Road
Tucson, AZ 85704-2522

Info: http://www.tucsonchinese.org/

Filmmaker/writer Arthur Dong will present his film and book Forbidden City, USA at this event sponsored by the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center. The presentation is preceded by dinner and books will be available for purchase and signing. This program is one of two events in the series “Another Look at World War 11: Perspectives from Arthur Dong”; see also: Coming Out Under Fire event for April 2, 2017. Free, but space is limited and reservations are advised.

Download a flyer

Reservations and information: (520) 292-6900

The Curse of Quon Gwon

National Silent Movie Day

September 29, 2023 at 7-9pm

Northeastern University
Blackman Auditorium
Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA

Info: https://camd.northeastern.edu/event/oath-of-the-sword-east-coast-premiere-and-panel-discussion/

Celebrate National Silent Movie Day with the East Coast premiere of the restored Oath of the Sword (1914), produced in 1914 by a company described by Moving Picture World as the “first company in America to be owned, controlled and operated by Japanese.” Panel discussion with Denise Khor, Allen Feinstein, Susan Chinsen, and Arthur Dong, who will discuss and show excerpts from The Curse of Quon Gwon. Free and open to the public.