For 50 years, Chinese American photographer Corky Lee tirelessly documented Asian Pacific Americans and kept a relentless record of their everyday lives, celebrations, and struggles. He was everywhere in the New York City community and beyond – wielding his camera “like a sword to combat injustice.” Yet, few really knew the man behind the lens. Director Jennifer Takaki’s intimate portrait reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man who produced a vast collection of close to a million compelling photographs that will forever tell the Asian Pacific American story for generations to come and transform the way America sees itself. Michigan premiere.

This film is part of the Asian American Pacific Islander Film Series, produced in collaboration with American Citizens for Justice (ACJ), with additional support from Rising Voices and funding from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC).

AFTER THE FILM: Chien-An Yuan, an Ann Arbor based interdisciplinary performer and visual artist, talks with director Jennifer Takaki and producer Linda Woo.