Alice Gu
Alice Gu | |
|---|---|
| Born | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Director, writer, cinematographer, producer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
Alice Gu is an American documentary filmmaker and cinematographer.[1][2] She is known for directing and serving as cinematographer for projects such as The Donut King (2020), Really Good Rejects (2022) and Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print.[3][4]
Career
[edit | edit source]Gu’s cinematography credits include Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton (2017), directed by Rory Kennedy.[2] She has collaborated with directors such as Werner Herzog and Stacy Peralta, contributing to various documentary films.[5] In 2020, She directed her first feature documentary, The Donut King, which examines the life of Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who established a donut business in California. Inspired by a remark from her children’s nanny about “Cambodian donuts,” the film premiered at the South by Southwest.[6] In 2022, she was selected as a Concordia Fellow.[7]
Gu’s second documentary, Really Good Rejects (2022), premiered at South by Southwest in 2022. The film focuses on Los Angeles luthier Reuben Cox, who crafts custom guitars for musicians such as Jackson Browne, Carrie Brownstein, and Andrew Bird.[8] In 2024, she directed and shot Shimmer, Inspired by Eva Young, a narrative short starring Harry Shum Jr.[9] In 2025, she co-directed Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print with Cecilia Aldarondo and Salima Koroma, a feature documentary exploring the history of Ms. magazine through its iconic covers, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival.[10] She is currently directing The Elephant Odyssey, a feature documentary in production about the 2020 journey of Asian elephants across Yunnan, China, filmed with IMAX cameras.[11]
Select filmography
[edit | edit source]| Year | Title | Contribution | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton | Cinematographer | Documentary |
| 2019 | Epiphany | Cinematographer | Feature film |
| 2020 | The Donut King | Director, writer, cinematographer and producer | Documentary |
| 2021 | As I Am | Director | Documentary series |
| 2022 | Really Good Rejects | Director, writer, cinematographer and producer | Documentary |
| 2022 | Walk with Obi | Director | Documentary short |
| 2023 | AKA Mr. Chow | Cinematographer | Documentary |
| 2024 | Shimmer, Inspired by Eva Young | Director and producer | Short film |
| 2025 | Dear Ms.: A Revolution in Print | Director and cinematographer | Documentary |
| TBA | The Elephant Odyssey | Director | Documentary |
Awards and nominations
[edit | edit source]| Year | Result | Award | Category | Work | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Won | Asian American International Film Festival | Emerging Director Award | The Donut King | [12] |
| Won | San Diego Asian Film Festival | Best Documentary Feature | [13] | ||
| Won | Bentonville Film Festival | Best Documentary | [14] | ||
| Nominated | Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival | Best Documentary | [15] | ||
| Won | South by Southwest | Special Jury Award | [16] | ||
| 2022 | Nominated | Audience Award | Really Good Rejects | [17] | |
| 2024 | Won | Bentonville Film Festival | Best Short Film | Shimmer, Inspired by Eva Young | [18] |
References
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External links
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