THE RACE EPIDEMIC, 60min., USA, Documentary
Directed by Tony Shyu
Winner of the best documentary award of the Chinese American film festival, The Race Epidemic is about another outbreak caused by Covid-19 - An epidemic of racism against Asian Americans. With a politicized pandemic sweeping through the country and a president calling it the Chinese Virus, the rise of attacks and hate against Asian Americans is not surprising. Can naming a virus after an ethnic of people cause the outbreak of an epidemic of hate? Or is it something hidden deeper within American society? “Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it.” The film takes a close examination of xenophobia and racism against Asian Americans caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.