“(Dis)Placed in Sunset Park: My Personal Story” by Betty Yu
“(Dis)Placed in Sunset Park: My Personal Story” (TRT: 30:40) documents the filmmakers own personal story growing up in Sunset Park, Brooklyn to Chinese working class immigrant parents. She explores her own journey growing up in the 1980’s and 90’s in a neighborhood where she had friends from all backgrounds -- mainly Puerto Rican, Dominican, Chinese and European.
As New York City has experienced accelerated gentrification in the last fifteen years, working class and immigrant families are being displaced and uprooted from where they live and work. This film documents the filmmakers concerns of how the displacement of immigrant tenants will radically transform the cultural fabric and life as she’s known it for decades.
“Resistance in Progress”
"Resistance in Progress" (English & Korean subtitles) by Betty Yu in Queen Museum’s "After the Plaster Foundation or Where Can We Live?" Show (TRT: 27:12) Show info: CLICK HERE
"Three Tours"
"Three Tours" (TRT: 48:58) is an award-winning documentary film that captures the lives of three U.S. military veterans, Nicole Goodwin, Ramon Mejia & Ryan Holleran, as they work to heal their wounds and battle with PTSD resulting from their deployments in Iraq. The film follows their transformation from U.S. military trained soldiers to agents of change advocating for proper mental health treatment of veterans and an end to unjust wars.
Distributed by Third World Newsreel. For more information CLICK HERE.
Longer Description:
Nicole Goodwin, Ryan Holleran and Ramon Mejia are three U.S. military service members who deployed to Iraq after 9-11 to fight in the “Global War on Terrorism.” Nicole and Ramon served in Iraq during “Operation Iraqi Freedom,” the initial invasion in 2003, while Ryan deployed during “Operation New Dawn” at the end of the war in 2011. Three Tours is a documentary film that captures the lives of these three veterans as they work to heal their wounds and battle Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) resulting from their direct experience with the traumas of war. Told through their own voices, Three Tours documents their profound transformation from U.S. military trained killers to agents of change advocating for proper mental health treatment of veterans and an end to unjust wars.
The film captures the personal journey of each of these veterans as they work to heal their wounds through activism, writing, teaching and religion. Ramon, a Marine veteran, converted to Islam and discovered a vehicle to inner peace. Ryan, an Army veteran, became an activist with Iraq Veterans Against the War and Under the Hood Café, two anti-war veterans’ organizations. Nicole, an Army veteran, found healing through writing and sharing her poetry about her experiences in Iraq. All three veterans come together through their shared experiences, their desire to tell their own stories and their activism. Each of these veterans embarks on a personal journey seeking inner peace, restoration of their humanity and forgiveness for taking part in an unjust war.
The film takes places at a time when military suicide is at an all time high, surpassing combat deaths in 2012. An estimated 50% of returning veterans suffer from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and 60% of women have experienced sexual assault. Because only .5% of the U.S. population is fighting these wars, these issues tend to be far removed from the American people’s daily consciousness. It’s against this sobering backdrop that these stories take place. At its core, Three Tours is about three veterans who are struggling with deep pain and regret for what they’ve done, and are working to find a way to heal those wounds.
For more information about the film please contact director and producer of "Three Tours" Betty Yu: bettyyu21@gmail.com
“Intimate / Distant”
These videos are part of a multimedia interactive storytelling website, (part of International Center of Photography’s “How The Light Gets In” online exhibition, 2020) Check out the interactive project - Click Here
These (8) short videos are part of this interactive web-based documentary project that tells my family’s immigrant stories spanning multiple generations through video, photographs, mixed media collages and archival materials. The interactive experience features short video vignettes and images that provide a portal into my family’s journey beginning with the current COVID-19 global pandemic going back to the early days of Chinese Exclusion in 1882. These portals interweave my narration, poetic imagery, photography, archives, collages, verite style scenes and traditional interviews.
During the Fall of 2019, I started to photograph my parents and the impact that gentrification has had on their daily life and future in New York City’s Sunset Park neighborhood in Brooklyn. Then COVID-19 changed everything. This project especially during this pandemic, has allowed me to explore my internal and external life as a Chinese American who holds multiple generations of trauma and resilience in the U.S. My parents have been together for 52 years. They have had a difficult relationship. They were socially distancing from one another for many decades already before it was the norm. Yes, COVID-19 changed everything. Instead of photographing my parents in our family house, I have had to rely on FaceTime calls and my mom’s cell phone images to stay connected to them. These immersive stories provide a glimpse into understanding the experiences of Chinese-Americans that are intimately tied to the U.S. immigration narrative.
“An Unknown Home” (work-in-progress) by Betty Yu
A short documentary film about the filmmaker’s journey to her father’s hometown in Toisan, China. The filmmaker learns about her family’s roots and past through this 80 year old home.
"Letter from Wei Xui Qing" a short documentary film by Betty Yu
Description: “Letter from Wei Xui Qing” is an experimental collage short film based on the filmmaker’s vivid memories and letter from a 16-year old Chinese garment worker, Wei Xiu Qing that she met in an electronics factory compound back in 2003 during a trip to China. The short film interweaves footage shot in 2003 in the China factory compound, interviews with garment workers, footage of the filmmakers’ own family, video projections and voice-over. She connects her own family history being raised by garment workers in the U.S. to the plight and struggles of workers in China. Through the filmmakers’ own voiceover and images, she reflects on her own guilt and privilege as a Chinese-American whose parent immigrated to the U.S to provide a better life for their family. It’s through her gaze that we met, Wei Xui, the garment worker who talks about her working conditions and daily life living in a factory compound.
"Visit to Grandma" a short experimental film by Betty Yu
"Discovering My Grandfather Through Mao" a short film by Betty Yu
“Discovering My Grandfather through Mao”
“Discovering My Grandfather through Mao” is a short documentary film about my personal journey as I uncover my grandfather’s radical history as a labor organizer and co-founder of the Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance of New York (CHLA), one of the oldest Chinese-American labor organizations in this country. My grandfather, Sui Woo, a hand laundry worker came together with other workers and recognized the need for an organization that could challenge the racist and anti-Chinese policies in the 1930's.
"Against the Grain" A short film by Betty Yu & Oluseyi
“Against the Grain” is a 6-minute documentary film that follows the story of Oluseyi, a Nigerian immigrant who is a cultural organizer, artist and graduate student undergoing testosterone therapy treatment and working to create an identity that is gender non-conforming.
This video is currently being distributed by Third World Newsreel for educational purposes. If you are interested please CLICK HERE
"Rising for Our Hardship: Mrs. Liao's Story" a short film by Betty Yu
"Rising from Our Hardship: Mrs. Liao's Story"
"Rising From Our Hardship, Mrs. Liao's Story" is a 20-minute documentary that follows the story of You Di Liao, a Chinese immigrant garment worker who was hospitalized after being injured on the job from working long hours for less than minimum wage. The film captures her financial hardships that have caused family strains and problems with the loss of her income. The documentary follows Mrs. Liao as she joins other injured workers to hold the New York State Governor Pataki accountable for anti-worker policies. This is an advocacy video that was created for a New York State Campaign to change policies in the workers compensation system.
"Asians for Black Lives" a short documentary
A 13 minute short documentary about Asian Americans getting involved in demanding police accountability for the killing of black people. This film profiles CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities' Asian Youth in Action's activism and support of Black Lives Matter.