渴望 (LONGING) (2020)
The split identities of being an immigrant’s child leaves me with endless questions of who I could have been if my childhood had not been here in United States.
From the American-Taiwanese life I was raised to know to the humid lake views in Taiwan, 渴望 (LONGING) juxtaposes childhood photos in the Pacific Northwest brought to life in silhouettes, overlaid on footage from a recent trip to the family homeland.
This experimental film was on view at the Paths Intertwined exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, from February 3, 2021 to November 7, 2021.
“In the palace of memory, children of the disapora walk through empty rooms and turn the pages of unfixed photo albums, asking “Where do I belong?” – Shin Yu Pai, poet
Featuring works from artists of Taiwanese and Chinese diaspora, our exhibit Paths Intertwined draws on themes of identity, place, and belonging with artists exploring familiar symbols and ancestral memory to form new meaning. Featured artists include Agnes Lee, ZZ Wei, Larine Chung, May Kytonen, Jenny Ku, Shin Yu Pai, Ellison Shieh, and Monyee Chau.
2020 | Local Sightings Film Festival
2021 | Seattle Asian American Film Festival
vanishing seattle: chinatown-international district — bush garden (2020)
co-director, cinematographer, editor
Chinatown-International District: Bush Garden” (Updated version) is the sixth and final film in #VanishingSeattle’s documentary series that takes a deeper dive into the stories behind the hashtag.
In addition to being the first karaoke bar in the country, since 1953 Bush Garden has been a hub for connection, celebration, and multiracial/multigenerational organizing. After the historic building was sold to a private developer in 2017, a grassroots fight emerged to save both its history and future as a vital community space.
Directors: Ellison Shieh + Christopher Woon-Chen + Martin Tran
Cinematographers & Editors: Ellison Shieh + Christopher Woon-Chen
Executive Producers: Cynthia Brothers + Martin Tran
Each episode of the Vanishing Seattle film series focuses on a small businesses or community space significant to a Seattle neighborhood. You can also check out the films on Vanishing Seattle’s YouTube Channel, Instagram (IGTV), and Facebook page.
Vanishing Seattle Films is supported in part by 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax. Produced in association with Northwest Film Forum.
2020 | Local Sightings Film Festival
2021 | Seattle Asian American Film Festival
Winner of the SAAFF 2021 Cinemetropolis Award for Best Local Short Film
2021 | Disorient Asian American Film Festival
2021 | Asian Pacific Virtual Showcase presented by Visual Communications
2021 | Seattle Film Summit
2021 | Tacoma Film Festival
2021 | Boston Asian American Film Festival
2021 | SCOOP Film Festival
Crosscut | ‘Vanishing Seattle’ film series captures the soul of the city’s beloved spaces
Seattle Eater | Documentary on Seattle’s Bush Garden Will Be Screened Tomorrow at Tacoma Film Festival
South Seattle Emerald | Seattle Isn’t Dead But it Is Vanishing: A Conversation with Vanishing Seattle Filmmakers
Phởmily Feud (2016)
director, producer, sound design
Made as an entry for YOMYOMF’s Interpretations Initiative 2016
This short was produced as a submission for 2016’s YOMYOMF Interpretations 2.0 contest. The requirements of the contest were to use only these FOUR lines of dialogue in THREE minutes or less:
-Don’t do that.
-Of course.
-I have my doubts.
-What is it?
We could “interpret” those four lines any way we wanted, but we had to use them in that order and could not add any additional dialogue. Unfortunately, our entry wasn’t completed in time, but we thank YOMYOMF, Justin Lin and David Henry Hwang for the inspiration to create!
2017 | Seattle Asian American Film Festival
2018 | Disorient Asian American Film Festival
2018 | Portland Comedy Film Festival
2018 | Short Circuit Pacific Rim Film Festival
2018 | Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival (HAAPI Film Festival)
2018 | Austin Micro Short Film Festival
Lead actress Belinda Fu was a Best Actress Award finalist at ASMFF
2018 | Starry Nite Festival
2018 | Boston Asian American Film Festival
2018 | Short Circuit Pacific Rim Film Festival #PNW Tour
Monarch City (2022)
1st assistant director
Potato Dreams of America (2021)
craft services
Creak! (2021)
unit production manager, assistant director
Seattle Asian Art Museum Eyes on Asia art education videos (2020, 2021)
videographer, editor
The Paper Tigers (2020)
assistant to the producer, craft services
Elect Muniz for Seattle School Board (2019)
videographer, editor
Puget Sound Sage’s 10th Anniversary (2017)
videographer, editor
Springtime for Thomas (2017)
assistant director
Heartseeker (2017)
executive producer, producer
Seattle Asian American Film Festival trailers (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020)
editor
Daily Bread (music video) – Nje Pro (2016)
assistant director, producer
Who is Social Justice Fund NW? (2016)
director, editor
hellish noise • ellison shieh 