Inspiration for Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month
The best TV films and episodes for AANHPI Heritage Month are found right here on THIRTEEN, the PBS station for the diverse New York City metropolitan region. May’s AANHPI Heritage Month honors Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander culture and contributions and concerns. An exciting documentary premiering in May will reveal the life of Corky Lee, the photographer who documented AAPI life and activism for 50 years in New York City.
AANHPI celebrations in New York City will include the third annual NYC AAPI Heritage Cultural Parade on Sunday, May 19 at 1 p.m. on 6th Avenue, between 44th and 55th Streets (see Better Chinatown for more details). On May 25 at 11 a.m., the NYC Parks & Recreation Department urban rangers will lead a walking tour of Manhattan’s Chinatown Parks and Monuments.
Scroll below for new films during AANHPI month plus excellent documentaries and short films to stream now on any device, plus articles on AANHPI communities and activism.
Newest Films and Series
Great Performances: Now Hear This: The Composer is “Yoo”
Friday, May 3 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN. Watch series; see entire Great Performances schedule.
Violinist and Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, Scott Yoo is currently hosting his fifth season of the classical music miniseries “Now Hear This,” featuring maestros like Yo-Yo Ma and new prodigies from around the world. On the season finale on May 3, Yoo shares his own journey to compose a piece of music for the first time. Seeking counsel from other composers, Yoo revisits his Japanese heritage in search of ideas, performs landmark pieces for inspiration and ultimately tests his work in progress. He travels to Japan to try new activities like the martial art of aikido and meditation, and performs with Koto player Yumi Kurosawa.
Watch episodes of Now Hear This on Great Performances.
Lang Lang – Favourite Melodies
Premieres Thursday, May 9 at 10 p.m. See Schedule for all dates.
World-famous pianist Lang Lang takes us on a personal journey through his favorite melodies, including Beethoven’s “Für Elise,” Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” and other classic works. Filmed in unique locations in Paris, the Chinese pianist also incorporates beautiful movie soundtracks, including Encanto’s “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and The Muppet Movie’s “The Rainbow Connection.”
Stream now with THIRTEEN Passport.
Photographic Justice: The Corky Lee Story
Premieres Monday, May 13 at 10 p.m. on THIRTEEN. See all air dates.
This documentary is a tribute to 50 amazing years of Asian American Pacific Islander culture and activism through the lens of photographer Corky Lee. Chinese American and Queens-born, he used his camera as a “weapon against injustice.” From Chinatown garment workers, Pakistani families, Thai dancers, Tibetan monks, Filipinos against war, feminists supporting the ERA, Koreans protesting hate crimes, and veterans remembering 9/11, Lee’s rare photographs show the diversity of the AAPI experience, especially in New York City.
This film’s intimate portrait of Corky Lee reveals the triumphs and tragedies of the man behind the photographic record. Corky Lee died January 27, 2021 from complications related to COVID.
The Express Way With Dulé Hill
Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN. See entire series Schedule.
During the series premiere, The Express Way With Dulé Hill: California, host Dulé Hill meets and performs with the Grant Avenue Follies, a San Francisco cabaret troupe made up of sassy Asian American senior citizens. Led by Cynthia Yee, the Follies’ upbeat shows are inspiring seniors to live life to the fullest. They’re also activists, keeping alive Chinatown’s rich history, and using newfound rap skills to combat anti-Asian hate.
Watch episodes of The Express Way With Dulé Hill, which are directed by filmmaker Danny Lee.
American Masters short film: Becoming Yamazushi
Hip hop artist G Yamazawa reveals the essence of his family’s story and the art of being unapologetically authentic. In 1986, his family’s small Japanese restaurant opened its doors and became the first of its kind in Durham, North Carolina. Years later, Yamazushi, operated by George and Mayumi Yamazawa, transformed into an experience that many would say is the first of its kind in the American South.
To Be Takei
Premieres Tuesday, May 28 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN. See all dates.
Over seven decades, actor and activist George Takei boldly journeyed from a WWII internment camp in the United States, to the helm of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise, to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans and Broadway (“Allegiance”). Join George and his husband Brad on this star’s playful and profound trek for life, liberty, and love. Stream To Be Takei beginning May 28.
In 2021, George Takei spoke with Tom Stewart for The WNET Group podcast, UpNext.
Reel South: The Volunteer
Stream now.
After being mistaken for the enemy by fellow U.S. forces during the Vietnam War, a Japanese-American Vietnam veteran struggles to overcome his feelings of guilt and anger, find a sense of belonging, and reunite with L.V., the soldier from Alabama who saved his life. This taut, quiet and gripping film (35 minutes) has surprises and is worth every minute and more. Stream now.
Streams and Encores
Click the blue link to stream any of these films.
Rising Against Asian Hate: One Day in March
This feature documentary explores the fight against Asian American hate following the March 2021 mass shootings at three spas in Atlanta. Examine how this critical moment of racial reckoning sheds light on the struggles, triumphs and achievements of AAPI communities. The film is narrated by Sandra Oh with music by Jon Batiste and Cory Wong. A production of The WNET Group.
FANNY: The Right to Rock Asian Americans
Co-founded by Filipina American and queer teenagers, Fanny is the first all women band to release an
album with a major record label (Warner/Reprise, 1970). Revered by David Bowie, meet the most
groundbreaking rock group you’ve never heard of… yet.
Maria Ressa is co-founder and CEO of Rappler, a digital news outlet in the Philippines. She will be Harvard University’s 373rd Commencement on May 23 this year. She shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov for what the Nobel Committee cited as “their courageous efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”
Be/longing: Asian Americans Now
This series profiles Asian American trailblazers from across the country in five stories of belonging and exclusion; resilience and hope; and solidarity in the face of hate. It includes actor George Takei; the co-founder of CityMD, Dr. Richard Park from Queens, NY; Viet Thanh Nguyen the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sympathizer; and more. A series from Exploring Hate, a production of The WNET Group.
A vibrant tender cine-poem, a filmmaker collaborates with her Nisei mother as they confront the painful curious reality of wisdom “gone wild” in the shadows of dementia. Made over 16 years, the film blends humor and sadness in an encounter between mother and daughter that blooms into an affectionate portrait of love, care, and a relationship transformed.
Two Korean American children of liquor store owners reconcile their own dreams with those of their immigrant parents. Along the way, they confront the complex legacies of LA’s racial landscape, including the 1991 murder of Latasha Harlins and the 1992 uprisings sparked by the police beating of Rodney King, while engaged in current struggles for social and economic justice.
Pacific Heartbeat: Ola Hou: Journey to New York Fashion Week
When Native Hawaiian fashion designer Sharayah Chun-Lai receives an invitation from the world-renowned Runway 7 to showcase her brand, Ola Hou Designs, at the prestigious New York Fashion Week, she and her supportive family are tossed into a fast-paced world of planning, preparation and runway readiness to bring the spirit of the Big Island to the magic of the Big Apple. Part of the series, Pacific Heartbeat.
American Masters: Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir
The story of the author whose first novel, “The Joy Luck Club,” was published to great commercial and critical success. With the blockbuster film adaption that followed as well as additional best-selling novels, librettos, short stories and memoirs, Tan firmly established herself as one of the most prominent and respected American literary voices working today. American Masters is a production of The WNET Group.
LIVE