Elizabeth Ai’s documentary New Wave exposes a hidden past

Our special guest today is Elizabeth Ai, an award-winning Chinese Vietnamese American filmmaker. Ai writes and produces independent feature films and branded content for companies like ESPN, VICE, and National Geographic Channels and her work has won an Emmy. She has produced numerous documentary and narrative features including A Woman’s Work: The NFL Cheerleader Problem and Saigon Electric. Today we’ll discuss her directorial debut, NEW WAVE, a hybrid feature documentary about 1980s Vietnamese New Wave and a hidden past, which premiered in competition at the 2024 Tribeca Festival. Her film was awarded a special jury mention for best new documentary director, with the jury praising her powerful and emotionally honest storytelling.