By Sandy Jiang
Staff Writer
After a rigorous process of producing, filming and editing, journalist, filmmaker and TCHS alumni Jireh Deng’s short film “Mia’s Mission” makes it on the big screen of the 2023 Asian Pacific Film Festival, intricately documenting the diversity of Asian American and LGBTQIA+ lives.
Primarily a journalist, Deng’s dedication lies in communicating meaningful narratives to an outside audience, engaging with the public, and creating conversation around their work. For Deng, filmmaking surpasses just passing milestones and being recognized; it serves as a conduit for sharing stories that resonate deeply with viewers.
“Sometimes people get into their heads a little bit where they think being a filmmaker requires you to have won awards or to be good at it,” Deng said. “It is picking up a camera and deciding you’re going to put in effort to make something that people will watch. That’s all a filmmaker is, just like a writer.”
Deng produced their first short film, “Mia’s Mission,” in the spring of 2022. This film documents the experiences of a transgender Asian American elder living in Los Angeles and working as a criminal defense attorney. It sheds light on the concurrent discrimination toward the LGBTQIA+ and Asian American communities. “I wanted to go above and beyond to tell a really thorough story that would capture the life of Mia and everything that she does,” Deng said. “I think this experience helped prepare me for other films that I’ve made down the line.”
Without having financing or access to available equipment, Deng faced many barriers in the film industry. Fortunately, Deng’s crew members Crys Lee, Jett Lam and Bridgette Yang helped Deng every step of the way while making “Mia’s Mission.” They also received support from AAJA Voices, a non-profit organization that helped them with lighting equipment and sandbag rentals to make “Mia’s Mission.”
“I couldn’t afford to go to film school, so I had to figure out how to teach myself to pick up these filmmaking skills and tricks,” Deng said. “It comes with a lot of imposter syndrome as well because all these people are mostly privileged individuals who have access to institutions with fundings and resources and you don’t have access to that. Does that mean your work is less valid? No, it just means your journey will look different.”
Following the success of “Mia’s Mission,” Deng produced “Making Our Homes” and “Mahjong Mistress.” Currently, Deng is working on a new project— a film about their friend who is fundraising to get top surgery.
“This is a really new project where we’re still figuring out how to work with one another, apply for funding and things like that,” Deng said. “But there’s some really exciting stuff that should come out later this year.”
As Deng continues their filmmaking journey, they reflect back on the barrier-breaking goals they’ve reached. From relying on scholarship money to buy their first camera to now having well-known short films and deep knowledge of filmmaking, Deng has come a long way.
“It was important to get that first film done because in my head, there was this huge barrier, this block of I don’t know how to do it, I don’t know I can’t do it,” Deng said. “But when I got started, that was a very proud moment I had. I don’t think the work represents the quality of the work I can do now, but I know that my first film ever has gone to over a dozen film festivals. I’ve been able to use this film as my calling card. This has been really helpful because I think it represents many of my values— a lot of the ways I want to tell stories about queer Asians and queer Asian elders especially.”
Having been a student at TCHS, Deng has advice for aspiring storytellers, each word being shaped by their own experiences in high school and the many years after. Giving back the help they received, Deng is currently a mentor at the Los Fotos Project in Boyle Heights. As a mentor, Deng spreads support for aspiring photographers, paving their way to confidence, expertise and making their mark in the industry.
“I think that if you are committed to being a responsible storyteller, it’s essential for you to get out of your bubble,” Deng said. “The biggest advice that I can say for anyone attending TC is that TC is such a myopic and unique experience. Being part of this community is your secret power. I want you guys to get out of that bubble and see what experiences are like.”