Song (aka Schmutziges Geld)

+ Q&A with Anna Wong, Anna May Wong’s niece, and Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll

New restoration of Anna May Wong's first European vehicle based on BFI archival material.

The new restoration of Anna May Wong’s first European film significantly improves the quality of this beautiful film, in which she plays an urchin scraping a living by the sea. Rescued from attack by Jack, a depressed knife thrower, Song becomes assistant in his act. However, when he is nearly blinded in a botched train robbery, Song is forced to raise money for his operation by dancing in a night club, allowing us to see her dressed in full 1920s splendour.

Restored by Filmmuseum Düsseldorf.

Content warning: Contains scenes of domestic violence or abuse.

Join us for a powerful virtual fireside chat featuring authors Ingrid Hu Dahl and Katie Gee Salisbury, as part of The Authentic Asian speaker series—a space to connect, reflect, and celebrate the many dimensions of Asian identity and leadership.

​Ingrid, author of Sun Shining on Morning Snow, weaves memoir with music, mother-daughter tensions, and grief, exploring what it means to grow up mixed, queer, and bold in America. Katie, author of Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong, brings to life the legacy of Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star, while offering a sharp lens on race, representation, and reclaiming history.

​Together, they’ll reflect on their experiences as mixed Asian (Hapa) women, what compelled them to write their books, and how their personal stories fuel broader conversations on identity, authenticity, and leadership. They’ll also share their hopes for attendees—especially women leaders—seeking deeper connection and visibility in their own lives and work.

​Expect an intimate, honest, and energizing conversation—with key takeaways for living boldly and embracing your full story.

​📚 Books will be linked for purchase during the event.

Katie Gee Salisbury, author, Not Your China Doll
Anna Wong, niece and namesake of Anna May Wong
Iris Moon, Associate Curator, Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, The Met

Experience the 1922 film The Toll of the Sea, Hollywood’s first general release color feature film, starring Anna May Wong in her first leading role. Learn about the exhibition Monstrous Beauty: A Feminist Revision of Chinoiserie from curator Iris Moon before hearing an introduction to the film by Anna May Wong biographer Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll. After the film, listen to closing remarks by Anna Wong, the niece and namesake of Anna May Wong.

Learn more about Katie Gee Salisbury. 
Film restoration by UCLA Film & Television Archive 

Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Monstrous Beauty: A Feminist Revision of Chinoiserie.

Free with Museum admission, though advance registration is recommended. Note: Space is limited; first come, first served. Priority will be given to those who register.

Author Katie Gee Salisbury will discuss her critically acclaimed work, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong. Wong was a trailblazer, becoming the first Asian American movie star in Hollywood, as well as a style icon and activist. Katie Gee Salisbury has spoken and written about Anna May Wong on MSNBC, in the New York Times, and in Vanity Fair. 

The actress Anna May Wong’s image can be found on an American quarter, and Mattel recently debuted a Barbie inspired by her. Contemporary actresses have paid tribute to her, but until recently, Wong’s place in cinema history had been lost to time.

Anna May Wong was born in 1905, when Los Angeles was more of a country town than a sprawling city. As a child, she spent most of her days at the Chinese Mission School or helping in her dad’s laundry, until she discovered movies in Chinatown. Every spare nickel or dime she earned delivering laundry went towards going to the theatres on Main Street, after which she’d run home to reenact what she had just watched. At the age of eighteen, Wong got her first big break when she was cast in Douglas Fairbanks’s blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. She befriended Marlene Dietrich while making films in Berlin, and the two actresses later co-starred in the Oscar winning film Shanghai Express. She was adored by press and clamoring fans, as a flapper and a fashion icon who dazzled royalty and left trails of suitors in her wake. At the time of her untimely death in 1961, just weeks before she was slated to appear in the historic Flower Drum Song, the first big budget Hollywood film with an Asian American cast, she had more than seventy credits across film, television, and theatre.   

Now in its 21st year, HAAPIFest is Houston’s leading film festival showcasing Asian American and Pacific Islander stories. Our mission is to elevate AAPI voices through the power of film, spark meaningful dialogue around identity and diversity, and build bridges between communities. HAAPIFest features narrative films, documentaries, shorts, panels, and special events designed to inspire, educate, and entertain.

Join us at HAAPIFest 2025 for an unforgettable book talk and author Q&A with Katie Gee Salisbury, the celebrated writer behind Not Your China Doll: The Radical Life of Anna May Wong. This exclusive literary event will feature a live discussion, a chance to meet the author in person, and a deep dive into the remarkable life of Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star.

Join Katie Gee Salisbury and fellow authors Aimee Liu and Darien Gee as they chat on Substack Live about what the book publication process is really like.

Author Katie Gee Salisbury will be discussing her critically acclaimed work, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong. Wong was a trailblazer, becoming the first Asian American movie star in Hollywood, as well as a style icon and activist. Katie Gee Salisbury has spoken and written about Anna May Wong on MSNBC, in the New York Times, and in Vanity Fair.  

The actress Anna May Wong’s image can be found on an American quarter, and Mattel recently debuted a Barbie inspired by her. Contemporary actresses have paid tribute to her, but until recently, Wong’s place in cinema history had been lost to time.

Anna May Wong was born in 1905, when Los Angeles was more of a country town than a sprawling city. As a child, she spent most of her days at the Chinese Mission School or helping in her dad’s laundry, until she discovered movies in Chinatown. Every spare nickel or dime she earned delivering laundry went towards going to the theatres on Main Street, after which she’d run home to reenact what she had just watched. At the age of eighteen, Wong got her first big break when she was cast in Douglas Fairbanks’s blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. She befriended Marlene Dietrich while making films in Berlin, and the two actresses later co-starred in the Oscar winning film Shanghai Express. She was adored by press and clamoring fans, as a flapper and a fashion icon who dazzled royalty and left trails of suitors in her wake. At the time of her untimely death in 1961, just weeks before she was slated to appear in the historic Flower Drum Song, the first big budget Hollywood film with an Asian American cast, she had more than seventy credits across film, television, and theatre.   

Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles in the Jazz Age, NOT YOUR CHINA DOLL is perfect for those who love stories about old Hollywood and for readers of Asian American culture and history. Filled with stories of glamorous parties, capricious directors, and admiring costars, this is a wonderful showcase of a groundbreaking artist whose life continues to inspire others today.   

Katie Gee Salisbury has spoken and written about Anna May Wong on MSNBC, in the New York Times, and in Vanity Fair. She also writes the newsletter "Half-Caste Woman." She was a 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship finalist and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” A fifth-generation Chinese American from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn. Not Your China Doll is her first book. 

Join authors Will Gow and Katie Gee Salisbury for an intimate book talk in Chinatown! Will will discuss Performing Chinatown: Hollywood Tourism and the Making of a Los Angeles Community, exploring how Chinese Americans shaped perceptions of race and belonging through Hollywood films and Chinatown tourism. Katie will dive into her book Not Your China Doll, revealing the life of pioneering actress Anna May Wong and her fight against Hollywood’s racial stereotypes. Enjoy readings, insightful discussions, and the chance to purchase signed copies of their books. Refreshments will be served. Limited seating – reserve your spot today!

More details coming soon.

Join Think!Chinatown and author Katie Gee Salisbury for a screening of Daughter of Shanghai (1937) starring Anna May Wong and Philip Ahn. Salisbury, who recently published a biography of Wong called Not Your China Doll, will speak about the film’s groundbreaking casting—it was the first time two Asian American actors played a leading romantic couple in the sound era—and how Wong’s real-life experiences inspired the story. Community discussion will follow the screening.

Join the Chinese American Museum at 6:30 pm on Thursday, April 3, at the historic Pico House (424 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012) for a special, colourized screening of The Toll of the Sea (1922). Featured will be exclusive commentary and Q&A courtesy of Anna Wong, niece of Hollywood star Anna May Wong, and Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll. Watch Anna May Wong in her first leading role and explore her life and legacy beyond film in conversation with experts of the icon. 

About the Film: 

The Toll of the Sea is a 1922 silent film directed by Chester M. Franklin, produced by Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation, and distributed by Metro Pictures. The film tells the tale of the young Lotus Flower (played by Anna May Wong) who rescues an American man, Allen Carver (Kenneth Harlan), from the sea during his trip to China. The two fall in love amidst the cherry blossoms, but Carver breaks his promise to bring Lotus Flower to his homeland by ultimately departing alone. By the time the two former lovers meet again, much has changed, and their reunion proves to be more than bittersweet. 

About the Speakers:

Anna Wong grew up mere miles from Hollywood, where her aunt, the iconic Asian American film star Anna May Wong, made an unforgettable mark on cinematic history. Although Anna herself never felt a pull towards acting, she has always been inspired by the cultural impact and inclusiveness that her namesake strove to achieve. In her own career—whether she’s representing artists, planning events, producing and developing TV projects, or engaging in philanthropy—Anna is dedicated to raising awareness of Asian American issues and advancing the cause of equality. Anna also serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Chinese American Museum.  

Katie Gee Salisbury is a fifth-generation Chinese American writer and photographer based in Brooklyn. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Believer, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and elsewhere. In 2021, she was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey” about her photojournalism project on Chinese restaurant workers in New York. She also authors Half Caste Woman, a newsletter dedicated to sharing research and ruminations about Anna May Wong, and, in 2024, she released her debut biography Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong.

**Unmasking: The Toll of the Sea is in conjunction with the Unmasking Anna May Wong exhibit.

Be sure to visit Unmasking Anna May Wong, CAM’s latest exhibition that honors film legend Anna May Wong. Currently on view until January 26, 2025, the exhibit showcases Wong as a trailblazer that fought racism, discrimination, and stereotyping in the film industry. The exhibit features a variety of objects, ranging from Wong’s personal effects to memorabilia from her films. Learn more about who Anna May Wong was behind the silver screen -- from her childhood in LA Chinatown, to her iconic fashion sense, and her social activism outside of Hollywood.  

Hear from Katie Gee Salisbury, who will discuss her latest book Not Your China Doll about Anna May Wong.

Glamorous, radical, and ahead of her time—Anna May Wong broke barriers as the first Asian American movie star. Discover her untold story in Not Your China Doll, a powerful debut reclaiming her place in Hollywood history. Author Katie Gee Salisbury brings Wong’s legacy to life in this captivating new book.

Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, this debut book celebrates Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star, to bring an unsung heroine to light and reclaim her place in cinema history. Join us in conversation with author, Katie Gee Salisbury, for a presentation and discussion of her new book, Not Your China Doll. 

Book signing to follow presentation.

Nonfiction writers, by definition, reckon with the past. But how can authors research who and what has been under- and misrepresented in history books and scholarship? Using archives, interviews, on-the-ground investigation, and other forms of research, these recently published authors, whose work covers diverse stories and time periods, will discuss how they have recreated lives and times on the page, forging a counternarrative that separates myth from truth, while navigating bias in research.

Speakers: Suzanne Cope, Katie Gee Salisbury, Laurie Gwen Shapiro, Michelle Young

Moderator: Natasha Zaretsky

Location: Room 403B, Level Two, Los Angeles Convention Center

Session Code: F203

Join us in conversation with author, Katie Gee Salisbury, for a presentation and discussion of her new book, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong (Dutton/Penguin, 2024). Katie Gee Salisbury can be found here at her webpage, and find her Substack newsletter, Half-Caste Woman, here. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, MSNBC, Vanity Fair, The Ringer, The Believer, the Asian American Writers' Workshop, and elsewhere, and she gave the TED Talk titled “As American as Chop Suey.” A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn. Not Your China Doll is her first book.

For questions, please contact Jeremy Murray (History), jmurray@csusb.edu

Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong celebrates the first Asian American movie star, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history. Join us on March 22, 2025, at 1 PM as we welcome author Katie Gee Salisbury for a book talk and signing highlighting this exciting new biography.  

Join the Stanford Club of Washington and Stanford Asian Pacific American Alumni Club (SAPAAC) as we hear from author and Stanford '07 alum Katie Gee Salisbury about her book Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong. Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, Katie's debut book celebrates Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star, to bring an unsung heroine to light and reclaim her place in cinema history.

After Katie's book talk, we'll enjoy light appetizers and beverages -- all in the beautiful Yuan Ru Art Center. You can find more information about this acclaimed book here. Bring your copy for Katie to sign! Open to Stanford alumni.

*We cannot offer refunds for cancelled registrations. 

My Man Kono, presented by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, is a new play by Philip Chung. In the heyday of silent films, Japanese émigré TORAICHI KONO, in pursuit of the American Dream, becomes a loyal confidante of film star Charlie Chaplin, but at the dawn of WWII is swept up in anti-Japanese hysteria and accused of espionage. Don’t miss this gripping drama!

Katie Gee Salisbury will join playwright Philip Chung and Charlie Chaplin experts Hooman Mehran and Michael Cartellone for a panel discussion following the performance.

Join us for an in-depth look at the 1932 classic film Shanghai Express starring Anna May Wong. This drama filled film will have you on the edge of your seat as a group of hostages are held captive on a train in war-torn China. Following the screening of Shanghai Express, join Dr. SunAh Laybourn and Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll, in a discussion delving into the groundbreaking career of Anna May Wong, the film’s star and the first Asian American woman to achieve significant recognition in Hollywood. Participants will explore Wong’s role in shaping the portrayal of Asian characters in early cinema and her impact on the industry’s representation of Asian American actors. The conversation will also address the challenges she faced due to racial stereotyping and how her work paved the way for future generations of Asian American performers. Additionally, the discussion will reflect on the film’s portrayal of China and its cultural implications, considering both historical context and contemporary perspectives. Movie buffs and novices alike will enjoy learning about how this classic film provides a new lens through which we can view modern day Hollywood. We recommend viewing this in tandem with our November 24th screening of Always Be My Maybe followed by a discussion led by Dr. SunAh Laybourn.

Dr. SunAh Laybourn is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Memphis. Her research examines questions of race, identity, and belonging. She is the author of Out of Place: The Lives of Korean Adoptee Immigrants (New York University Press, 2024). In 2023, Dr. Laybourn organized Memphis's first month-long celebration honoring Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Additionally, she is the host of WYXR 91.7FM’s Let’s Grab Coffee, a weekly radio show featuring experts from around the world, who are investigating our most pressing social issues and common curiosities (also available on Apple and Spotify).

Katie Gee Salisbury is the author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Believer, the Asian American Writers' Workshop, and elsewhere. She was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman. A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn.

Food and drinks will be available for purchase.

Join AAPI Westport Book Club for an evening with author Katie Gee Salisbury and a discussion of Not Your China Doll, her biography of Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. Hosted at the Westport Museum of History and Culture.

Watchung Booksellers, OCA New Jersey, and AAPI New Jersey present an evening in conversation with Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll, moderated by Laura Lee, former president of OCA New Jersey. Free and open to the public.

Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles during the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong celebrates the first Asian American movie star, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history.

Join us on October 12 as we welcome author Katie Gee Salisbury to PCM for a book talk and signing highlighting this exciting new biography. She will also be in conversation with Professor Darby Li Po Price, who teaches Asian American film courses at Merritt College.

Admission is free. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event.

We are pleased to welcome Katie Gee Salisbury who will read from and discuss her book Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong.

Set against the glittering backdrop of Los Angeles in the gin-soaked Jazz Age and the rise of Hollywood, Not Your China Doll celebrates Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star, to bring an unsung heroine to light to reclaim her place in cinema history. Before Constance Wu, Sandra Oh, Awkwafina, or Lucy Liu, there was Anna May Wong. In her time, she was a legendary beauty, witty conversationalist, and fashion icon. Plucked from her family's laundry business in Los Angeles, Anna May Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks's blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest. Anna May starred in acclaimed films in Berlin, Paris, and London. She dazzled royalty and heads of state across several nations, leaving trails of suitors in her wake. She returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry's blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady, and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film. Filled with stories of capricious directors and admiring costars, glamorous parties and far-flung love affairs, Not Your China Doll showcases the vibrant, radical life of a groundbreaking artist. The Guardian writes “Katie Gee Salisbury effectively leverages her personal experience with systemic injustice, as well as her wide-ranging knowledge of Hollywood and cinema, to give Wong the biography that she has long deserved but unfortunately has not yet received,” and author Lisa See praises the book as “enlightening, nuanced, and honest.”

Katie Gee Salisbury has spoken and written about Anna May Wong on MSNBC, in the New York Times, and in Vanity Fair. She also writes the newsletter "Half-Caste Woman." She was a 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship finalist and gave the TED Talk "As American as Chop Suey." A fifth-generation Chinese American from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn. Not Your China Doll is her first book.

Shanghai Express and Post-Film Author Talk w/ Katie Gee Salisbury
6pm doors & 7pm film
$13 GA & $10 OFS
Join us for a special 4K restoration of Shanghai Express. After the film concludes, Katie Gee Salisbury, the author of Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong, will be in attendance to discuss the life and career of Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. Books will be available for purchase at the screening.
Dir: Josef von Sternberg / 1932 / 80 min

“Directed by Josef von Sternberg, this movie has style — a triumphant fusion of sin, glamour, shamelessness, art, and, perhaps, a furtive sense of humor.” – Pauline Kael, The New Yorker

About Katie Gee Salisbury:
Katie Gee Salisbury is the author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong, Hollywood’s first Asian American movie star. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Believer, the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, and elsewhere. She was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman. A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn.

Accessible Seating:

When purchasing tickets in advance, mark “Wheelchair / Accessible.” Accessible seating sections are located on the main floor in various areas for sight, hearing, size, and mobility needs. If you are comfortable sharing your needs, email boxoffice@olympiafilmsociety.org before purchasing so we can better assist you and ensure your time at the theater is enjoyable.

The English Department at Western Washington Unviersity would like to invite you to a screening of Josef von Sternberg's Shanghai Express, with an introduction by Katie Gee Salisbury, author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong. Q&A session to follow. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 8 at 4:00pm in Miller Hall 152!

This even is co-sponsored by Film and Media Studies, East Asian Studies, and Ethnic Studies.

For disability accommodation, please contact DRS@wwu.edu. Western is an equal opportunity institution.

95th anniversary! Featuring an in-person Q&A with Katie Gee Salisbury, author of the new biography, Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong.

Anna May Wong stars in E.A. Dupont's PICCADILLY, the mesmerizing silent masterpiece about a maid who overcomes her station to become the toast of London. As his nightclub suffers to a convoluted love triangle among the staff, Wilmot (Jameson Thomas) has a chance encounter with scullery maid Shosho (Wong) and enlists her talents as both a beauty and a dancer to reignite the club's spark. This rediscovered classic also stars Gilda Gray as the enchanting dancer Mabel, who shines alongside Wong, and Alfred Junge's astonishing set design looks better than ever thanks to brilliantly restored footage by the British Film Institute.

“Dupont transforms the stuff of melodrama into a compelling tragedy of passion with a theme of racial injustice and exploitation.” Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

“Wong is the kind of gorgeous that burns right through a camera lens, and the kind of mesmerizing that seems without effort or end.” Janice Page, Boston Globe

An evening with guest speaker Katie Gee Salisbury at Golden City Restaurant

$60 per person (includes 8 course dinner)
$90 per person (includes 8 course dinner and a book)
$130 for dinner for two people and one book

For reservations or more information, email Charlayne at charlaynetj@outlook.com

In her time, Anna May Wong was a legendary beauty, witty conversationalist, and fashion icon. Plucked from her family’s laundry business in Los Angeles, Anna May Wong rose to stardom in Douglas Fairbanks’s blockbuster The Thief of Bagdad. Fans and the press clamored to see more of this unlikely actress, but when Hollywood repeatedly cast her in stereotypical roles, she headed abroad in protest.

Anna May starred in acclaimed films in Berlin, Paris, and London. She dazzled royalty and heads of state across several nations, leaving trails of suitors in her wake. She returned to challenge Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. She used her new stature to move away from her typecasting as the China doll or dragon lady, and worked to reshape Asian American representation in film. 

In this talk moderated by UBC Professor of English Dr. Mary Chapman, biographer Katie Gee Salisbury will discuss the vibrant, radical career of a groundbreaking artist, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history.

Cost: $5/annual pass holder; $8/general admission visitor; free for youth, student, and senior annual pass holders

Not Your China Doll: A Conversation on Anna May Wong, the First Asian American Film Star

*Note: this session will be recorded and posted online at a later date.

Co-sponsored by UBC Asian Studies; Centre for Cinema Studies; Centre for European Studies; Department of History; Department of Central, Eastern and Northern European Studies; the UBC Film Society;  and the Winnifred Eaton Archive.

With Katie Gee Salisbury, moderated by Mila Zuo

Katie Gee Salisbury is the author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Believer, the Asian American Writers' Workshop, and elsewhere. She was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman. A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn.

Mila Zuo is Associate Professor in Cinema and Media Studies at UBC. Her book Vulgar Beauty: Acting Chinese in the Global Sensorium (Duke UP, 2022) received the best book award in media, performance, and visual studies from the Association for Asian American Studies. Other articles can be found in Celebrity Studies, Women & Performance, Post 45, and Journal of Chinese Cinemas. In addition to her scholarly work, Zuo is also a filmmaker whose award-winning works have screened in numerous international film festivals, universities, and galleries.