Lee Isaac
Chung

The son of Korean parents, Lee Isaac Chung has stated that his attempts to reach across cultures as the only minority family in rural Arkansas led him to make films in countries where he is a foreigner. Chung shot his celebrated feature Munyurangabo (2007), in the native Kinyarwanda tongue in 11 days, recounting the emotional story of two young friends who struggle with the legacy of age-old ethnic divisions. The project started as a filmmaking course that Chung conducted for locals, and he established a collective there whose members have made award-winning films. Munyurangabo was selected to screen at several prestigious venues, including the Cannes Film Festival.

Portrait photo courtesy the artist.