Joanne Shen is a graduate of Princeton University where she received her bachelor's degree in English literature in 1994. Upon graduation, she worked as a journalist in China and Hong Kong. In 1998, she co-directed and co-produced King of Kowloon, a half-hour documentary about a crippled Cantonese graffiti artist, which has won the Distinguished Award at the Hong Kong Independent Film and Video Awards. It has recently been screened at festivals such as the DoubleTake Documentary Film Festival and the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Cricket Outta Compton


The game of cricket is alive and flourishing--in Compton, California of all places. Cricket Outta Compton follows the remarkable journey of the Homies and POPz, a team of young men from Compton. They imbue the sport best known as a "gentleman's game" with their own brand of hip-hop style.

Contemporary Documentary Series, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and UCLA Film and Television Archive, 2002-2003.

A Neon Life
16mm, color
7:35 minutes

A Neon Life is an exploration of the ambiguous beauty of commercial neon signs as seen through the eyes of three individuals who work in the neon sign trade. A neon tube bender, a junkyard neon enthusiast and a sign restoration expert discuss what this mysterious unique light means to them. "A Neon Life" marries the visual power of neon light with an original, ethereal soundtrack.

Bread
Digital Video
8 minutes

Bread examines the efforts of a growing local currency movement in Berkeley.

Type C Personality
16mm, black and white
3 minutes

Type C Personality is a portrait of a woman who has custom designed her cars to resemble a caterpillar, a frog and a toucan, which symbolize aspects of her personal life philosophy.