Throughout my accomplishments in show business in Asia and North America, the Vincent Chin story had always churned in my gut.  For decades, I had always thought it would make a great feature film. I know I'm not the only one. 

Justice for Vincent (JFV) may not be the feature I had long dreamt of making; however, it might very well be one of the few -- if not -- first cinematic adaptions to emerge since the historic case took place 40 years ago. With our short film, I make no qualms in admitting it is an adaptation “inspired by” true events.  

When it comes to adaptations, creative embellishments are always undertaken to tell a story, often for dramatic effect. We've seen this happen with projects about The Kennedys, The Royal Family, Marilyn Monroe, and numerous rock stars, for instance. In doing so, filmmakers agonize over a myriad of details:  plotlines, points of view, characters, dialogue, elements of fiction, which scenes make the final cut, and which scenes get left on the cutting room floor.  It is truly an excruciating process.

I make a point of explaining this because the Asian American Pacific Islander community does not bear the good fortune of having many (if any) major Hollywood social justice films in comparison to, say, our Jewish and African American counterparts.  As such, some members of the AAPI community might understandably be guarded about the Chin story, and not accustomed to seeing it adapted for the silver screen with creative modifications.

I can only say in making JFV our intention was pure.  Everyone who came on board to make JFV in 2018 gravitated to the power of the story and recognized its relevance (yes, pre-Covid). It is a solid, high-caliber production from top to bottom that hits the heart, provokes the mind, and stirs the soul.  I am humbled at how well it has been received by film festival audiences from across the country and abroad. I was also motivated to re-edit the film in 2021 to incorporate the disturbing uptick in Asian hate crimes in America sparked by the pandemic.  

More importantly, the message of JFV is clear:  a mother's loss is a mother's loss; hate is hate; injustice is injustice. As a first-time filmmaker, and with a project like JFV, my wish is simply to enlighten viewers and to inspire compassion and understanding in people from all walks of life.  Only by standing together, shoulder-to-shoulder, can we successfully combat the divisive forces of hate that threaten our collective safety, security, and civility.

Lawrence Chau

JFV Filmmaker