Tian Leng’s short documentary “Dear Friend Chinatown” is an intimate visual essay in the form of a video postcard written to a friend. The film explores the casual encounters between the Chinese filmmaker and everyday life in New York’s Chinatown. Shopkeepers, old neighbors, and monks mingle with worldwide visitors in a vivid microcosm of culture, food, and religion. “Dear Friend Chinatown” has screened in film festivals around the country, receiving several recognitions including the Runner-up Documentary at the 2019 CUNY Asian American Film Festival.
Tian Leng is a filmmaker, photographer, and sound designer. He graduated from CUNY’s City Tech, and he’s currently a graduate student at The Graduate Center – CUNY.