With directors like Chloé Zhao and Cathy Yan shining on the brightest stages of Hollywood, historically underrepresented voices are finally being heard in the filmmaking realm. Asian women have been particularly ignored by the industry, but in the last few decades, the tide has been turning.
From animated films like A Silent Voice to heartfelt dramedies like The Farewell, the unique experiences of their directors have been a boon for great cinema. Though plenty of amazing films have been directed by Asian women, only the best scored the highest with s on Letterboxd.
Note: Letterboxd allows s to rate films on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
Saving Face (2004) - 4.0
Directors from different cultural backgrounds often bring their own heritage into the movies they make, and director Alice Wu's early 2000s rom-com Saving Face was no exception. A young surgeon's life is thrown out of whack when her pregnant mother is forced to come live with her after being kicked out of the family home.
The movie is all about the expectations placed on women in Chinese culture, and its LGBTQ+ themes were extremely progressive for a film from its time period. What really shines through in the movie is the care put into the story, and though it was a Hollywood film, it never opts for the usual chintz of a typical rom-com.
K-On! The Movie (2011) - 4.0
Bringing the popular anime to life on the big screen, K-On! The Movie expanded the horizons of the famous series. Shortly after graduating, the girls of the band After School Tea Time take a life-changing trip to London to connect with the city's musical heritage.
The original K-On! is noted as being one of the best anime directed by a woman, and the movie continues that trend. The art style is light and flowing, and the story itself is a strong exploration of the characters and their love of music in a foreign land.
House Of Hummingbird (2018) - 4.0
Tying its plot firmly to a tragic moment in a city's history, House of Hummingbird stands almost like a beacon of anti-nostalgia for the '90s. Shortly before the infamous bridge disaster that rocked Seoul in 1994, a teenage girl wanders the familiar streets of her city in search of love.
Essentially a coming-of-age film, House of Hummingbird still manages to subvert the usual tropes found in those types of films. The movie is entirely character-driven, and the methodical nature of the story isn't based on a strong plot, but merely wanders through its ideas like Eunhee through the streets.
Us And Them (2018) - 4.0
Like the romantic Hollywood epics of old, Us and Them is a classic tear-jerker with a modern twist. Ten years after their whirlwind relationship crumbled, two people reunite in hopes of rekindling the flame of love that they both once carried.
Beautifully shot and perfectly acted, the story unfolds neatly throughout the runtime in such a way that keeps the audience engaged throughout. Generally considered one of the best romance films on Netflix, the movie is an understated piece of cinema that simultaneously feels timeless and rooted in the here and now.
Fiction. (2008) - 4.0
Hailing from Indonesia, director Mouly Surya's stunning thriller Fiction. is a truly harrowing experience. A strange young woman gives up her life of luxury in favor of modesty in the city. Once there she begins to incorporate the people she meets into her fantasies.
Daring and bold for a film from the region, the movie wasn't afraid to go places that other Indonesian films wouldn't. Described by some as a warped version of Alice in Wonderland, the fantastical nature of the movie only helps to ratchet up the tension as the audience watches the main character spiral further and further down the rabbit hole.
The Farewell (2019) - 4.0
Ranked highly among the best A24 films of all time, The Farewell fit right in with the eclectic output of the noted brand. Learning that their elderly matriarch has little time left to live, a Chinese family contrives a fake wedding as pretense for them to all gather one last time.
Despite being deeply rooted in Chinese culture, the film was still easily accessible to all viewers. The movie has a rich thread of humor running throughout that is perfectly balanced by the dark subject that makes up the plot. Part comedy and part gripping family drama, The Farewell's strongest aspects were also its most subtle, and many of the performances carried the film.
Dou Kyu Sei: Classmates (2016) - 4.1
Adapting its story from the Manga of the same name, Dou Kyu Sei: Classmates is one of the best animated musicals of all time. The story follows a pair of second-year high school students who begin a relationship after bonding over their mutual love of music.
The film's most striking feature is its unique watercolor art design, and the entire film has a breezy and light feel. The Manga was already highly praised, and the film imported all of its noted LGBTQ+ themes into a motion picture medium without resorting to the over-sexualization that plagues other stories. As it stands, Classmates is an appealing coming-of-age story with a musical twist.
Yuni (2021) - 4.1
One of the most common themes in films directed by Asian women is the idea of breaking away from tradition in the face of harsh criticism.Yuni follows a young Indonesian girl enrolled in dance school who hopes to make a life for herself in dance without succumbing to the societal pressures to get married and settle down.
Vibrant and with a very clear sense of color, Yuni is informed by other coming-of-age films without the need to emulate. The film has a simple but effective premise that feels very personal to director Kamila Andini, and it is anything but a cookie-cutter attempt to copy the successes of other films in the genre.
A Silent Voice (2016) - 4.1
Subtle yet effective, Naoko Yamada's A Silent Voice put its anime format to good use in telling its compelling story. Years after bullying a hard-of-hearing student until she moved away, a young man sets off on a path of redemption to make up for his past mistakes.
Anime ranges in tone and style, and A Silent Voice has all the gravitas of any live-action drama. Though the story is simple, Ishida's personal journey for forgiveness is so compelling that it instantly ingratiates the character to the audience. Though it is an extremely sad movie, it does show the consequences of bullying in a way that few other films have captured.
Ode To Nothing (2018) - 4.1
Unapologetically grim, Ode to Nothing gives the audience everything they need to know right in its title. The film follows a lonely woman who struggles to keep her family-owned funeral parlor in business. However, when an unclaimed corpse lands on her doorstep, she becomes fixated on the dead person's mystique.
Shot in a flat and almost colorless way, the cinematography of the film seems to suggest that it is a corpse itself. The acting is incredibly understated, and the grimness of the funeral industry of the Philippines is on full display with unflinching detail. Though it isn't a necessarily pleasant viewing experience, Ode to Nothing sticks with the viewer long after it is over.
