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How Do You See Chinatown?

The Chinatown Film Project, is an inaugural film exhibition of the Museum of Chinese in America that premiered on July 1, 2009. It tackles Chinatown's elusiveness and its stereotyped representations by constructing new images for the viewer. The project starts locally, where ten of New York's most exciting filmmakers was commissioned to present their unique visions of this global icon.

1STLOOK NY: Inside Look Chinatown
(3:05 min)

Check out this great video from 1STLOOK NY with a walk-through of some of Chinatown's best eateries and restaurants.

MA Shumin’s Chinatown

"Chinatown holds a special place in every Chinese immigrant’s heart, whether they are aware of it or not. It is the first place we know of after leaving China. It is the place where we are with the people from the same kind of background, speaking the same dialect. And it is the place that helps us assimilate to our adopted country."

MA Shumin was born in Taishan, Guangdong province, China, raised in New York ’s Chinatown, and studied film at Syacuse University's Newhouse School. Currently Shumin is a Metcalf Fellow, producing environmental videos for

NPR's Science Friday website.

"It has been an incredibly meaningful journey making these videos for Chinatown Partnership's Explore Chinatown website" says Shumin. "The project allowed me to reconnect with Chinatown via the streets, shops and its people: the herb specialists, street cleaners, barbers, and ballroom dancers. Being away from Chinatown for almost a decade, making these films gave me a chance to explore and rediscover my Chinatown."