CHLOE FONG
2025
Lost in TranslAsian
Set in San Francisco, a girl struggles to communicate with her Korean immigrant mother. They soon discover a connection through art.
Art is a language.
I made this film in my first semester of senior year, a piece dedicated to my mother. I think it takes a certain amount of time to be able to reflect on a relationship like this, and it created meaningful art experiences that I shared with my actors (including my real mother).
I decided to shoot on the hottest weekend of the year in the city. When the sun set and we started shooting in Chinatown, it was still 70 degrees and I bought $100 worth of tourist dim sum for the view of the Bay Bridge sparkling in the background as my two actors played out my high school romances. I shot the cable car scenes in my favorite low-shutter speed look. This film cemented my visual style, heavily inspired by my love for the city, Wong Kar Wai, and Asian storytelling.
2025
Lalaland Prom
I had a wonderful time filming the various departments at Ruth Asawa School of The Arts collaborating on a La La Land choreography. From theater to dance to world music, the scene was colorful and full of sunshine.
2024
Perfect Pink
Obsession, love, femininity.
Perfect Pink is a film about a girl in love with flowers. A simple concept laced with feminine and coquettish design and a stunning performance by Stella Nureyev.
Sometimes, I get lost in the writing, shotlists, and planning of filmmaking, so I decided to focus my attention on production design and the look of her. I designed a girly set in a friend's bedroom, thrifting vintage records, dolls, and lots and lots of bows.
Shooting in San Francisco Chinatown
My love for filmmaking was heavily influenced by growing up in San Francisco and the diversity of the neighborhoods one bus ride away. In my sophomore year of high school, I wanted to make a film inspired by Wong Kar Wai. I fell in love with Asian cinema and found myself in Chinatown with my camera often. After Lost in TranslAsian, I realized that I wanted to continue making movies about my heritage and will eventually return to the city and celebrate the art scene here. San Francisco is such a wonderful place to be inspired and I only appreciated its beauty after I got my hands on the camera.
