Alle Hsu
- [email protected]
- 1(949) 307-9239 (mobile)
- skype / wechat / instagram / twitter / tumblr: allehsu
Acknowledgements and Recognitions
Developing feature film, Queens, with 30 other filmmakers. The Residency provides filmmakers with artistic guidance, office space, a vibrant creative community, and mentorship from established film industry professionals. Aim to assemble a group of filmmakers whose backgrounds and areas of focus are vast and diverse.
Queens was selected as a Finalist for the SFFILM Westridge Grant in Fall 2019, one of the key narrative support programs offered by SFFILM Makers. The Westridge program supports the screenwriting and development phases of narrative feature projects whose stories focus on the significant social issues and questions of our time.
Named the Kearny Street Workshop APAture 2019 Arts Festival Featured Artist in Film, in San Francisco. Screening and Q&A were held at the renowned Roxie Theater in the Mission. Featured on NBC News / NBC News Asian America Article.
Selected as one of six mentees. Each mentee is a filmmaker and is currently directing. The mentors include Echo Lake Entertainment’s Chelsea Benson and director Hannah Fidell.
Selected Director and Content Creator. GET IT GIRL provides a positive, proactive and fun
approach to create equality through opportunity and shines a deserving spotlight on award winning female content
creators.
SELECTED PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE – FILMS
Feature Film / Narrative Adaptation. The inspired true story of a shy Chinese-American girl from Queens, New York who finds herself thrust into the spotlight of the 1964 World’s Fair Miss Unisphere pageant, but struggles to find her voice in each of her worlds — her Shanghainese family, the Chinese-American community, and the new universe she discovers at the World’s Fair. NYU Fusion Film Festival Go Pitch! Panel. SFFILM FilmHouse Residency. Fall 2019 Westridge Grant Finalist. Story by Alexandra Hsu & Jake Lee Hanne. Written by Jake Lee Hanne. Producing Team: Alexandra Hsu, Rebecca Shuhan Lou, & Sophie Luo. In Research & Development, Screenwriting. Seeking lead producer.
Limited Series / Narrative Adaptation. 1982 Detroit, Michigan – On a hot summer night, a young Chinese American man celebrates his bachelor party with a few close friends. What begins as a night of joy quickly turns into a horrific event, as he’s beaten to death on the street. His killers receive a lenient sentence, with no jail time ever served. This sparks one of the most important movements in Asian American history. However, to us, the story is much more, and our approach strives to look at all of the communities affected by this moment in 1980’s history. Story by Alexandra Hsu & Anthony Ma. Pilot Episode written by Jake Lee Hanne. Produced by Alexandra Hsu & Anthony Ma. In Research & Development, Screenwriting.
Passion Project. The year is 1962. James picks up his older sister, Barbara from college for the Thanksgiving holiday. After a racist encounter in a nearby diner, they think they’re being followed, but realize in the end that it’s not someone they expected. Official Selection / In Competition – HollyShorts, Manhattan, Los Angeles Diversity, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, Oaxaca, Evolution Mallorca, Nominated for Best of NFMLA Awards – Best Short Film Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Performance Drama (Anthony Ma), Best Sound Design (Jose Estrada). Screened at the Women in Film Shorts Night. 13m. RED. Long Island, NY, 2017-18.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. Jennifer is a Chinese American woman in her mid-30s and is suffering from adult acne. She is still living at home with her Tiger-Mom mother, Pearl who coerces Jennifer into attending her Chinese New Year Banquet. 25m. Alexa Classic. Orange County, CA, 2016. In Post-Production.
NYU Tisch Film. Sophie is abandoned by her mother and forced to come to terms with her new life and her grandmother in this poignant tale of a crucial moment in a young girls’ life. Official Selection / In Competition – Austin, Foyle, Bahamas, Fusion, Cleveland, Sarasota, LA Asian Pacific, Newport Beach. Next Director Award Shortlist. Awarded the NYU Tisch Asia Post-Production Award, Craft Awards in Acting and Cinematography. 12m. RED. Hong Kong, 2014-15.
Passion Project. A female farmer, Victoire starts online dating, after seeing her husband run off with another woman he’s found on online dating. Victoire discovers hidden facets about herself while involved in the online dating process. 15m. Dordogne, France, 2015. In Post-Production.
NYU Tisch Film. A young Chinese woman is dating a Caucasian woman, while her parents try to find her a boyfriend at the Chinese Love Market. Official Selection – Palm Springs Cinema Diverse LGBTQ Film Festival. Best Shorts Award of Recognition in LGBT and Asian American sections. 5m. Canon 60D. Singapore, 2013-15.
Short Film / Proof-of-Concept for Series. A sixteen year-old girl builds a space shuttle that will take her terminally ill mother to a planet that may hold a cure. Directed by AFI DWW Fellow, Jean Lee. 20m. Red. Tijuana, Mexico. In post-production.
Short Film. A young and talented photographer goes blind. Directed by Buzzfeed Director, Jane Qian. 10m. Panavision 35mm. Los Angeles, 2017.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. A mother and son cross the Tijuana-California border every day. However, today is special. It’s Halloween and there’s a big costume contest for kids in Chula Vista, CA. Directed by Mexican director, Enrique Unzueta. Official Selection: Austin. 20m. Alexa Classic. Tijuana, MX, San Diego, CA, 2019.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. Not knowing her fatal accident, Sen, a young Asian man arrives in Utah to look for his long-lost sister. Instead of finding her, he finds a special landscape that truly echoes her soul. 15m. Alexa Classic, New York/Utah, 2017.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. An uptight businessman who travels home to sign the divorce papers filed by his wife. He refuses to do so until he gets to see his son and reveals a secret to him. Directed by Chinese director, Jianjie Lin. 1st Prize Wasserman Directing Award, Best Thesis Script Award, BAFTA US Student Film Award Shortlist. 20m. Alexa Classic. Shanghai/Zhuji, China, 2015.
NYU Tisch Film. Moises, 45, attempts a difficult reconciliation with his terminally ill and estranged brother in this moving story set in the countryside of the Northern Philippines. Directed by French Filmmaker, Thomas Wood. First Prize in Directing from NYU Tisch Asia First Run Film Festival, Official Selection – Paris, Madrid, Vancouver Asian, Shortlisted BAFTA US Student Film Awards. 15m. RED. Philippines, 2014-15.
AFI Directing Workshop for Women Production. Daniel, a recovering sex offender, breaks parole on Halloween to go on an adventure with his estranged daughter. Directed by Jean Lee, starring David Arquette. 15m. ALEXA. Los Angeles, CA, 2014-15.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. Two British guys, close friends spend their last night out in Prague. Ben finds his ex-girlfriend, Sam in a poster for a night club, Club Zenos. They go to Club Zenos, to find themselves in a situation. Directed by Arnold Chon. Official Selection: HollyShorts, Newport Beach, Boston Scifi, NewFilmmakers NY, Scandinavian International. 25m. ALEXA. Prague, Czech Republic, 2016-17.
NYU Tisch Thesis Film. An old Japanese woman in New York has magical healing hands. She finds her hands so powerful, and connects with a young boy who reminds her of her own son. Directed by Yun Liang. 25m. ALEXA. New York, NYC, 2017. In post-production.
SELECTED PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE – COMMERCIALS AND MUSIC VIDEOS
Done in the style and format of Dove’s Real Beauty Sketches Commercial, focusing on the beauty and self-esteem of Asian women. 3m. RED and BlackMagic. Singapore, 2015.
A young girl living in France locks her keys inside her own flat. Her next-door neighbor, an artist tries to help her unlock her door for her. After multiple times of losing her keys, he does the same and offers him some Haagen Dazs ice cream. Placed 3rd in International MOFILM Competition and will be playing in movie theatres in China in 2015. 1m. RED. Singapore, 2014.
A boy obsessed with video games notices the girl in the window opposite from his. He does everything he can to impress her after taking a sip of 7UP. For the MOFILM Competition. Best Commercial at HollyShorts, Best Commercial (as Female Producer) at La Femme Film Festival, Best Commercial California Shorts Film Festival. 45s. RED. Singapore, 2014.
A Chinese man is having a grand feast with his wife and son. Suddenly, his world changes and he is brought into another world where 4 men/dancers make him realize his inner emotions and sexuality. 3m. ALEXA. Singapore, 2015.
A boy encounters the ghost of a woman in an abandoned house and discovers her secret past. 5m. RED. Singapore, 2015.
OTHER MEDIA AND FILM EXPERIENCE
Selected by the Media Studies faculty to talk to the Media Studies seniors about graduate school and life after Claremont. Will also screen the work made in Claremont and recent work. Claremont, CA, 2015.
Co-founded and currently runs the nationally-recognized blog which recognizes and celebrates the work being done by Asians and Pacific Islanders around the world. Online, Founders located in California and Oregon, 2015-17. Asiansdoingeverything.tumblr.com, NBC News Asian America Article.
Programmed and produced Near Dark Film Series with women directed horror films from Canada, Laos, Japan, and Europe. Singapore, 2014-15.
Recruited as a programmer for the festival after being a prior volunteer and reviewer for the festival, prior. Screened and previewed over 40 films. Newport Beach, CA, 2011-12.
Chosen out of entire NYU Tisch Asia Student Body. Interviewed director, Andrew Lau for OgilvyDo. Part of their new series “Creativity: Weapons of Mass Disruption” where the organization interviews pioneers and innovators from around the world on how they use creativity to change their industry for great effect. Singapore, 2014.
Worked with Executive Producer and Writer Ellen Sandler of Everybody Loves Raymond. Los Angeles, CA, 2008.
Organized research material and photography during post-production for Director Brett Morgen. Los Angeles, CA, 2012.
Helped with Kickstarter campaign to raise $75K for post-production. Los Angeles, CA, 2012.
Helped with 1st Beijing International (Sports) FICTS Festival and the 2008 Beijing Olympics Official Film, Everlasting Flame. Edited English narration and subtitles. Researched information about Olympic athletes and their personal stories. Beijing, CHINA, 2009.
Reviewed/Did coverage on submitted screenplays. Prepared a summary of entertainment news each morning for the Spyglass management team. Los Angeles, CA, 2007.
CAMPUS LEADERSHIP, SPORTS, AND INVOLVEMENT
Team Captain for both 2009-2010 and 2010-2011, Starter in Singles and Doubles in 2008/2009/2010/2011, Awarded Gerry Lahanas Leadership Award Spring 2010, Claremont, CA.
Selected as a Junior Scholar. The theme that semester was “Recombinant Families: The Science and Culture of Contemporary Kinship.” For final project, created a documentary about my parents’ 14-year journey to have me through in vitro fertilization. Claremont, CA, Spring, 2010
Managed all media functions for this national event. Produced the daily tournament guide throughout the 6-day tournament. Produced, created, and updated the website through which allowed out-of-town families and friends to track this tournament. Created highlight videos which were presented at the NCAA banquets. Claremont, CA, 2009.
Conceived and produced a 20 min film (recruited 8 other students) about life at Sage Hill School to help attract new students. Film was shown to all incoming students at school orientations in the immediate years following the film. Newport Beach, CA, 2006.
SKILLS
Avid Media Composer, FCP, EP Scheduling and Budgeting, Microsoft Office Suite, Mac Programs, 16mm Film, Canon DSLRs, RED. Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese, Understanding of Cantonese.
EDUCATION
Master of Fine Arts Class of 2015, Film Production. (GPA: 3.56), Graduation: May 2016.
Teaching Assistant – Documentary Filmmaking, Directing Colloquium
Selected director for the Alliance of Women Directors Directing Actors Course, with AWD Co-Founder, Jennifer Warren, professor at USC. Review elements tools for director actors from Judith Weston’s Director Actors. Rehearse, shoot scene from well-known movie. Chosen scene: Good Will Hunting, cast with Asian actors.
3-Day Action Lab, exploring the Nugget, Action, and Beats. Build structure and rhythm. February 2016.
3-Day Scene Study Lab, in lecture and practical application of The Technique. March 2019.
Directing Workshop. July 2014.
Bachelor of Arts Class of 2011, Media Studies (Honors) and Asian Studies, May 2011
Theses: Media Studies: “Women: Cultural Revolution to Capitalist Revolution”, received Payton Watkins ’09 Media Studies Award, Awarded the Pomona College Museum of Art, “China Insights: Documenting China” Exhibit Grant in April 2011
Asian Studies: A Comparative Study of the “Status of Women” as written by Xu Zhimo in 1921 with Women of China Today
16mm Filmmaking Class, Summer 2007
Co-wrote and directed a short film, “The Perfect Blend”, about an Asian-American family facing bi-racial issues was produced at USC. Official
Selection of the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival -Youth Division. Los Angeles, CA, 2006.