This is the true story by Snap…of the lives of six Asian Americans…chronicled by award-winning The Donut King director Alice Gu…to see what it’s like… to be Asian American… in this country.
This is As I Am.
Snap, which is the parent company of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it photo/video app Snapchat, has collaborated with Barcroft Studios and BIPOC-fronted production banner CALICO for the original docuseries which spotlights the lives of six very different Asian Americans across the country including a cowboy, a stand-up comedian, a campaigner fighting to protect senior citizens from violence, a drag queen, rapper and activist China Mac and Diaspora’s own Dino-Ray Ramos.
“As a first-generation Asian-American who grew up in the face of racism, this recent wave of hate crimes stoked by fear has turned the clock back dramatically,” said CALICO’s Danny Lee, who serves as Executive Producer on As I Am. “Thanks to our partners at Snap and Barcroft for taking the initiative in addressing the problem organically by providing a platform to show Asian Americans as multidimensional, and ultimately proving we are not your enemy.”
Gu is no stranger to documentaries as she directed The Donut King which won the Special Jury Award at last year’s SXSW Film Festival. The docu spotlights the Cambodian refugee who built a multi-million-dollar donut empire and is currently available on Independent Lens. Lee and Farrar serve as executive producers. Producers are Ellie Winstanley and Alex Mucadum for Barcroft Studios. As I Am drops May 28.
Watch the trailer below.
