Vincent Who?

I’m flying high from my trip to the windy city and our first two advanced screenings of VINCENT WHO?. 

On April 19, our documentary had a special screening at the 13th annual Asian American Showcase in Chicago.  I want to take this chance to especially thank Tim Hugh, the festival director, who believed in the importance of our film’s subject matter and went beyond the call of duty to ensure it received a venue to be seen.  Tim has been an ardent supporter of Asian American films and filmmakers, and I feel very privileged that he took our film under his wing.

VINCENT WHO? also received an unscheduled screening at the Association for Asian American Studies Conference that was simultaneously taking place in Chicago.  Theresa Mah, the co-chair of the conference, took the extraordinary step of organizing a special screening and focus group for our film that was not previously in the conference program.  As a result, professors and educators from around the country got to see VINCENT WHO?, and many of them expressed their enthusiastic desire to screen our film in their universities and organizations.  For this outgrowth of opportunities, I must thank Theresa Mah for supporting VINCENT WHO? instinctively and giving us an unexpected second venue to show our film in Chicago.

Finally, I would like to thank my producer, Curtis Chin, and my executive producer, Catherine Park, for believing in me as the director of this film.  VINCENT WHO? is not just another project or film to them; it’s a mission.  They believe wholeheartedly in the need to raise awareness about the story and legacy of Vincent Chin, and they have made many sacrifices to help me get this film made and seen.

As I wrote in my director’s statement, Vincent Chin is the “founding story” of Asian Americans.  As such, all Asian Americans need to know about Vincent Chin like all Americans should know about how America was founded.  Individuals like Catherine Park, Curtis Chin, Theresa Mah, and Tim Hugh understand the critical importance of Vincent Chin’s story to our community, and that is why they have all gone out of their way to foster and promote VINCENT WHO?

To them, my heartfelt gratitude.

Tony Lam