As mixed Asian American filmmakers, we are tired of never having a place. There are no stories about us. There are no casting calls, no boxes to check.

And this is an impossible road to go down because we aren’t a monolith. No two of us are the same. When I asked myself, what does being half Asian mean to me? A slew of topics came up: white shame, cultural isolation, imposter syndrome, sexualisation, orientalism, and more. And when I talked to the people closest to me who were also Hapa, I found they had many answers that were overlapping yet very different. As a filmmaker fighting through so many barriers just to have a voice, even just to say a single word, I have to consider the intersection I fall on and how that context has shaped me as an artist and human. 

We set out to write a story that captures the complexities of being Hapa and how no two experiences are the same. How our insecurities and shame can bring out the worst and the best in us. How we can uplift each other as artists. How we have to fight just to feel human. 

A casting call has been announced! Seeking an Asian female lead for a new play written by an acclaimed Broadway director. Every Asian actor in town has arrived to audition. Emily and Lucy, two aspiring Hapa actresses from vastly different backgrounds, arrive in the hopes of wowing the casting directors and securing the role of a lifetime. Upon meeting, they immediately develop a morbid fascination with one another, seeing in the other something they want.

Throughout the casting process, the two begin to obsess over each other, antagonizing each other outside the audition room for days leading up to the casting announcement. As we see the mind games played by Emily and Lucy from different perspectives, we might start to wonder who is really antagonizing who, and in a world that only seeks to dehumanize Asian women, can either of them really win? This intimate and colorful thriller will unravel both characters and the realities they want to escape. 

EMILY PARKER (24 years old), Chinese American. Played by half-Taiwanese actress and dancer Grace Kostrezwa.

Emily’s family is the white man’s wet dream of the assimilated model minority. A wealthy white father, a successful Chinese-American mother, a college degree, and a storied history of hobbies and talents. English is her first language and she’s never been to China. While attending UCLA, Emily fell out of favor with her parents as she pursued her goals of becoming an actress instead of dedicating herself to a more “economically viable” career path. Using her industry connections, Emily’s acting career took off, turning her into a minor celebrity. While she appears to the world as a model of poise, elegance, and success, she is driven by an aggressive perfectionism and drive to find her big, breakout role, one that will evolve her acting career into a success her parents can accept.

LUCY KIM (24 years old), Korean American. Played by Laeli Ella.

Lucy is a second generation half Korean immigrant, born and raised in San Francisco. Despite her father’s absence from the picture, Lucy and her mother worked hard to provide for themselves, establishing a small Korean restaurant as a cornerstone of the local community. Lucy’s ambitions towards acting grew throughout the years with the undying support of her mother.  She is fighting to make a name for herself, starring in any local production she can get her hands on and performing for old men at the local bar, playing into her sexuality as a means to an end. She is holding out for her star role that will elevate her career to the level she needs to make sure her mom never works another day in her life. 

Finding the balance between the pulse pounding pacing of a Safdie-esque character driven thriller like Good Time or Uncut Gems and the slow burn roll of Tár and In the Mood for Love to create an experience that excites as much as it intrigues. As the psyche of both of our characters unravel, the unreliable story structure will force the audience to stay on the toes. 

Two of my favorite directors are Wong Kar Wai and Pedro Almodóvar. Both of their works play with color and structure in a way that is exciting, intentional, and at all times serving the story. These are huge influences for Hapa. Vibrant color, eccentric and lived in wardrobes, structured cinematography, and dynamic editing will serve not only to heighten the girls' rivalry, but also serve as a window into how their lives are so different and so similar at the same time.

MOODBOARDS:

Hapa is currently in development: seeking feedback on our final draft of the script, bringing on crew Department Heads, and hosting fundraisers. If we reach our crowdfunding goal, we will head full steam into pre-production in May of 2026 and begin principal photography in fall of 2026 in San Francisco.

We are seeking a $10,000 budget to bring this film to life! Aiming to compensate our hardworking and talented cast and crew as much as possible is our top priority. We are indie filmmakers who know how to make a movie look good on a budget! But there is a necessary budget for wardrobe, props, and the right equipment to bring our creative vision to life. To learn more about our budget breakdown, head to the "Wishlist" section.

If you are in San Francisco or the Bay Area, please consider attending our in - person fundraisers which we will be announcing on Seed and Spark and on Instagram (@sixthstringpictures).

Sixth String Pictures is an independent production company based in San Francisco, CA - founded with the mission to uplift local filmmakers and make their visions come to life. We look for projects that challenge the traditional conventions of our industry: this means new and impactful characters and storylines, film sets that are safe and ethical, and productions that value its cast and crew above all else. Founder Laeli Ella has been working as in film and theater since 2021 and has made it her mission to make a place for filmmakers and artists to challenge barriers.

Learn more about our team and Department Heads in the "Our Team" section! Below are some behind-the-scenes photos of our crew and from Sixth String sets. Stay tuned for BTS photos of the set of Hapa!

As someone who has worked across independent and commercial filmmaking in California, film crew and talent are generally severely underpaid. Independent filmmakers are generally not paid at all, pouring their money and savings into labors of love for the sake of making authentic art and connecting with new audiences.

As the arts increasingly get defunded and the gap between commercial and indie filmmaking widens, funding independent artists is of the utmost importance. Let's lift up people that otherwise don't get a chance to see through their art and highlight voices that haven't yet had a proper chance to speak.

Seeing Hapa stories fleshed out in an authentic and refreshing way is something we've all been waiting for. Help us make it happen.

Please follow our Seed and Spark page and share with anyone you might be interested! Even if you are unable to donate, following us here and on Instagram (@sixthstringpictures) helps us get our project out there to anyone who might be interested in it.

Also take time to check out the other campaigns in the AAPI Renaissance Rally! We are honored to be crowdfunding amongst our fellow Asian American and Pacific Islander filmmakers. The Sixth String and Hapa team sincerely thank you for participating in our campaign!