Author: Rachel Wang

Directed by Larissa Lam and produced by Baldwin Chiu, Far East Deep South premieres on the WORLD Channel (PBS) documentary series America ReFramed on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, 8:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). It will also be available to stream on WORLDchannel.org, PBS.org and the PBS Video app beginning at time of broadcast on May 4 and throughout May in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

As America currently deals with a rash of anti-Asian sentiment, Far East Deep South is a deeply moving story that offers a poignant perspective on race relations, immigration and the deep roots of Chinese Americans in our national identity. The award-winning documentary follows Charles Chiu and his family (including his son, producer Baldwin Chiu, and daughter-in-law, director Larissa Lam) as they travel from California to Mississippi to find answers about Charles’ father, K.C. Lou. A retired Air Force reservist, Charles was left behind in China as a baby and is reluctant to discuss his family’s complicated past with his sons, Baldwin and Edwin. The family’s emotional journey to a place they’ve never seen leads to stunning revelations and a crash course on the surprising history of Chinese immigrants in the segregated South. Through encounters with local residents who remember K.C., as well as interviews with historians, Congresswoman Judy Chu and others,
the family’s trip becomes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for discovery and healing.

Through the Chiu’s family story, Far East Deep South provides a window into a community few even know exists — Chinese immigrants in the Deep South — and reveals how exclusionary immigration laws such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 separated their family for generations. The family also learns about the symbiotic relationship between the Southern Black and Chinese communities during the Jim Crow era.

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Our filmmakers will be presenting a special session at RootsTech Connect 2021. RootsTech is the largest family and genealogical conference in the world. This year’s event is all virtual and will be offered free for the first time. Sign up to watch Baldwin Chiu and Larissa Lam’s class but also over 200 other speakers and classes to choose from in multiple languages.

Have you thought about sharing your family history with the world but don’t know how to start? After hearing the dynamic husband-wife duo of Baldwin Chiu and Larissa Lam talk about their family’s discoveries, you’ll be inspired to share underrepresented family stories so that future generations will benefit from this history. 

Many families, especially those of Asian descent, are reluctant to discuss the past due to cultural barriers and generational trauma. As a result, there’s a lack of documentation and representation of those family stories in general historical narratives. In this session, learn how Baldwin Chiu uncovered his family history starting with only a photo of his grandfather’s gravesite and documented his journey in the award-winning film, Far East Deep South. Baldwin’s search for answers about his Chinese roots led to an unlikely place, Mississippi, where his ancestors ran a grocery store in the Jim Crow era. Discover how the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 left behind a paper trail of his family’s history at the National Archives. and learn simple, yet significant ways you can document and share your family’s history.

This event will run from February 25-27th, 2021 – sign up for free below!

Join us for this webinar and Q&A with filmmaker, Larissa Lam, who directed the award-winning and enlightening documentary, Far East Deep South, about a Chinese American family’s surprising search for their roots that leads to the Mississippi Delta. Larissa will discuss the significance of Chinese grocery stores in the South, shed light on the shared history between Chinese and Black families during segregation and why this history matters today. This presentation will include a preview of film clips from Far East Deep South as well as a time of Q&A.

This free webinar event will be on Wednesday, February 10th – Sign up below!

We are excited to announce that Far East Deep South has been selected to screen as part of the prestigious Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. Originally set to be in-person screenings, the tour has now moved to a virtual screening format February 14-17; February 21-24, 2021 and will include a virtual Q&A with director, Larissa Lam, and producer, Baldwin Chiu. 

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers connects US-based documentary filmmakers with Screening Partner communities throughout the South to share their work, discuss their process, and engage with audiences.

“Access to independent documentary filmmaking is more important than ever. We have taken steps to ensure that our audiences and filmmakers can share these essential conversations, regardless of the circumstances,” said Teresa Hollingsworth, Program Director for Film and Traditional Arts. “Through Southern Circuit, audiences interact with filmmakers directly, learning about the art of filmmaking and engaging with issues relevant to their community through a new lens.”

Since its inception in 1975, Southern Circuit has brought some of best independent filmmakers and their films from around the country to communities throughout the South. The program is presented by South Arts and made possible through a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers Participating venue partners include:

• Bologna Performing Arts Center/Delta State University, Cleveland, MS
• City of Hapeville, Hapeville, GA
• Gateway Regional Arts Center, Mt. Sterling, KY
• University of Pikeville, Pikeville, KY

We’re back for an encore screening with Cinequest! A couple weeks ago we thought we officially ended our Fall Film Fest Tour, but Cinequest has invited us back to participate in their encore screening (Dec. 15-31st). Far East Deep South won the 2020 Audience Award at Cinequest, and we’re excited to share our film online one last time this year! If you didn’t get to watch our film yet, click here or button below to watch it on Cinejoy powered by Cinequest.

We’re so honored to announce that we won the 2020 Audience Award at PAAFF (Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival)! This marks our 5th win of the season, and we couldn’t be more grateful to all the film festivals and fans that have supported us throughout our Fall Film Fest Tour. Thank you to all that watched our film virtually and promoted it on social media. We have enjoyed sharing our film with the world, and we’re so glad that people have continued to love it back!