OVERVIEW
Far East Deep South* is an award-winning feature-length documentary directed by Larissa Lam and produced by the husband-and-wife filmmaking team Larissa Lam and Baldwin Chiu, based in Los Angeles, California. The film expands upon their acclaimed short, Finding Cleveland, about the Mississippi Delta Chinese and offers a powerful exploration of identity, race, and immigration in America.
Told in a cinéma vérité style, the documentary is both personal and historical, featuring interviews with prominent figures such as Congresswoman Judy Chu; Levon Jackson, former mayor of Pace, Mississippi; Carolyn Chan, past president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance; and noted historians including Gordon Chang (Stanford University), John Jung (Chopsticks in the Land of Cotton), and Jane Hong (Opening the Gates to Asia). The film’s original score is composed by world-renowned musician Nathan Wang, with editing by Dwight Buhler.
Far East Deep South has received numerous accolades, including a 2022 Telly Award and recognition at major film festivals like Cinequest, CAAMFest, the Oxford Film Festival, and the Seattle Asian American Film Festival. The documentary made its national broadcast premiere on PBS and World Channel’s America ReFramed.
SYNOPSIS
When a Chinese American family embarks on a journey to uncover their roots, they are led to the heart of the Mississippi Delta—where they stumble upon surprising family revelations and a hidden chapter of American history.
Far East Deep South offers a deeply moving and eye-opening look at the lives of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The film follows Charles Chiu and his family as they travel from California to Mississippi, seeking answers about Charles’ father, K.C. Lou. Along the way, they encounter local residents and historians who help piece together their family’s past and reveal the long-overlooked history of Chinese Americans in the Deep South.
Through the family’s emotional journey, the film highlights the interconnected relationship between the Black and Chinese communities in the Jim Crow era, while also examining the long-lasting effects of discriminatory policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act. At its core, Far East Deep South is a poignant exploration of race, belonging, and what it truly means to be American.
Run time: 76 minutes
*Far East Deep South is mostly a family friendly film but please be aware there are a few racial slurs used in historical context as a few people give first-hand accounts of being subject to demeaning comments.
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