EP 111: Evan Jackson Leong’s (directing) Snakehead

“If I get one shot to make a movie, this is the one I'll be happy with.”

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Evan Jackson Leong is the writer and director of SNAKEHEAD - a modern crime thriller in theaters and on-demand on October 29th. Snakehead tells the story of two women in Chinatown’s world of human smuggling - starring Shuya Chang, Jade Wu, Yacine Djoumbaye, and Sung Kang. It’s a powerful film that cuts deeper than you might think - and you should actually stop what you’re doing and go watch it, like now. ...finished? Great film, right? You’re welcome. Now, where were we...

Evan Jackson Leong is a 6th generation Chinese American director and documentary filmmaker - most known for his documentary Linsanity, and numerous other powerful projects like “I am more: Obj”, “Christianity in the New Asia”, and more. As a freelance director and director of photography, Evan’s also worked with MTV, Nike, Toyota, Universal, Capitol Records, Kiehl's, Spike, Lancome, L'oreal, as well as his mentor and acclaimed director Justin Lin. But we wanted to know how this rising filmmaker got his start - bridging old school and new school techniques, how strong Asian matriarchs had to be at the forefront of his first feature film, and why it took him fourteen years to complete (it was worth it). We also talked about making dumplings and scary stories from late nights in Brooklyn. 

SNAKEHEAD comes out on October 29th — so do it for the culture and make plans to watch this one. 

Learn ABOUT EVAN & SNAKEHEAD
SNAKEHEAD Trailer: youtu.be/OVYNG7GYISw
EVAN'S WORK: imdb.com/name/nm1456609
OUR FAVORITE QUOTES:
“When you were dreaming of coming to America did you think it was gonna be this way?” “I didn't think. I just came.”
“You see your faults in your children and you just wish you had done better”

MENTIONS
DIRECTOR: Wong Kar-wai - imdb.com/name/nm0939182
FILM: Chunking Express (1994) - imdb.com/title/tt0109424
FILM: In the Mood for Love (2000) - imdb.com/title/tt0118694
BOOK: Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning (Cathy Park Hong) - goodreads.com/book/show/52845775-minor-feelings