New American Perspectives
Presented by
The Vilcek Foundation
Celebrating Immigrant and Foreign-born Artists and Filmmakers
The New American Perspectives program shines a spotlight on immigrant and foreign-born artists, celebrating the powerful impact that diversity has on contemporary cinema and media in the United States. The program centers the voices of immigrant artists through film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, a master class, and a panel discussion.
We are delighted to introduce this year’s cohort, which includes Roger J. Deakins (b. United Kingdom), Sasha Rainbow (b. New Zealand), Van Tran Nguyen (b. Vietnam), Kenji Tsukamoto (b. Japan), Ramona Diaz (b. Philipines).
A number of this year’s New American Perspectives filmmakers will also participate in HIFF’s Guest Filmmaker Program, which brings filmmakers from around the globe into K–12 classrooms in Hawai’i to speak with students about their careers in filmmaking.
The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation of the arts and sciences. We accomplish our mission through our prizes program and through partnerships like the New American Perspectives program at HIFF. The innovation and perspective of foreign-born artists have made an indelible impact on filmmaking in the United States—expanding the boundaries of the medium as an art form and inspiring the next generation of artists and storytellers.
ROGER DEAKINS
NAP FEATURED FILMMAKER
Roger A. Deakins was born and raised in Devon. He studied Graphic Design at the Bath College of Art and before continuing on to the National Film School, he spent time shooting still photographs for North Devon, with the intent of capturing the disappearing rural farm life.
After graduating from the National Film School, he shot a number of documentaries and then moved into feature films.
Roger has been nominated 16 times for an Academy Award and won twice for the movies BLADERUNNER 2049 and 1917. He has also been nominated 17 times for the top award of the American Society of Cinematographers, 11 times for the BAFTA award and 11 times for the British Society of Cinematographers.
Ramona S. Diaz
Ramona S. Diaz is a Peabody, Gotham, IDA, Emmy award-winning, PGA and Independent Spirit award-nominated Asian American filmmaker best known for her compelling character-driven documentaries that combine a profound appreciation for cinematic aesthetics and potent storytelling. Ramona’s films have demonstrated her ability to gain intimate access to the people she films – be they rock stars, first ladies, dissidents, mothers, teachers, or journalists – resulting in keenly observed moments and unforgettable nuanced narratives. Her films have been screened and won awards at Sundance, Berlin, Busan, Tribeca, SXSW, IDFA, HotDocs, and many other top-tier film festivals.
Van Tran Nguyen
Van Tran Nguyen is a Vietnamese American artist-scholar, filmmaker, curator, and multimedia artist.
In 2017, Tran Nguyen received an MFA from the State University of New York, at Buffalo. Then in 2021, she earned her doctorate in the Philosophy of Electronic Art at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Tran Nguyen has exhibited artwork in many solo and group exhibitions; such as Shape of a Pocket (2017, Squeaky Wheel Film and Media Art Center), Strange Agency (2017, Buffalo Arts Studio), Paris, Orange County (2020, Lycoming College), Women in Film (2021, Singapore’s Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film) and, Futurities Uncertain (2022, Cornell Biennial) to name a few.
Sasha Rainbow
Award-winning, BAFTA nominated director Sasha Rainbow, is a New Zealander based in Los Angeles. Her first documentary, KOFI AND LARTEY, about two boys living in one of the world’s biggest electronic waste dumps in Ghana, won numerous awards. Her second documentary KAMALI, about a seven-year-old Indian girl skateboarder, was long-listed for an Academy Award, nominated for a BAFTA, and released through RYOT Films. Sasha has been a BFI Network X BAFTA Crew alumni since 2018 and attended the prestigious Yaddo artists residency in 2019. In 2021 Sasha was selected as one of eight women for the Women In Film mentorship scheme in Los Angeles. Sasha is developing several feature-length scripted films, including BETA, a female lead sci-fi set in the Bay Area, and THE ACTRESS, a Hollywood murder mystery.
Kenji Tsukamoto
Born in Fukushima, Japan, Kenji moved to America as a child where his family relocated frequently across the country. Having been immersed in various cultures both in the United States and Japan during his formative years, Kenji offers a distinct point of view in his storytelling. As a third culture kid, Kenji found a kindred spirit in the world renown climber Ashima Shiraishi, who became the subject of his first feature film, ASHIMA.
NEW PERSPECTIVES IN FILMMAKING
OCT 6, 2:00 PM | Consolidated Kahala Theaters
New American Perspectives (NAP) presented by the Vilcek Foundation shines a spotlight on immigrant and foreign-born artists, celebrating the powerful impact that diversity has on contemporary cinema and media in the United States.
The program centers the voices of immigrant artists through film screenings, filmmaker Q&As and masterclasses. Attend this moderated conversation with HIFF44’s NAP cohort — Roger Deakins (b. UK), Ramona Diaz (b. Philippines), Sasha Rainbow (b. New Zealand); Van Nguyen (b. Vietnam), Kenji Tsukamoto (b. Japan), as they discuss their careers, The filmmakers and artists discussed their careers, and their experiences as cultural workers adding to the creative lexicon of the United States.