Chan Is Missing (1982) - Wayne Wang

​An ethnographical procedural so rich and vibrant in its exhibition of the Chinese-American experience. A travelogue, a mystery, so lived-in and authentic that it serves as such a resounding and pertinent reminder of the importance of independent cinema and the utter failings of Hollywood when it comes to subcultures that exist beyond the monolithic white middle class that dominates consumption and broad culture in America. How this blends a compelling narrative schematic with its ethnographic exploration is really exceptionally rendered, showcasing the diversity within the specific experience of the Chinese-American. Rooted in the exhibition of the unseen and unrepresented subculture on the silver screen, Chan is Missing's playful artifice congeals extremely well with its naturalist formal style, being precise yet lively, managing great specificity to Chinese-American identity while subverting the very idea of that while exposing the universality of collective diaspora and the complexities of identity beyond mere classification and expectation.