This A-Profiler we bring you Grace Lee, a Korean American filmmaker who has garnered attention for her latest film "The Grace Lee Project." Growing up in Missouri, she was the only Grace Lee she knew but as she left the midwest she discovered many other Grace Lees. Find out how Lee started film making, what her thoughts are on some of the Grace Lees she met, and what she's working on next.

Your site URL:
www.gracelee.net

In eight words or less can you describe who you are?
I'm not the Grace Lee you think you know.

How did you get into film making?
By making my first documentary. After college, I ended up in Korea teaching English to Korean women working as prostitutes around U.S, military bases. I was interested in the women's stories so I was going to do an oral history project, which was something I knew how to do given my background in journalism and history. I eventually met Diana Lee and Katharine Moon, and we decided to collaborate on a documentary about the issue and how it affected these women's lives. When I returned to the States I worked for several years in independent film production – primarily documentaries – before eventually enrolling in the MFA Directing program at UCLA. At film school, I focused primarily on writing my own scripts and directing actors.

What are some of the projects you're currently working on?
I have a couple of feature film scripts in development and am preparing to shoot one of them this spring. It's a small, personal film about zombies.

When you found out that there are multiple people with the name Grace Lee did you consider changing your name?
I would never change my name. Despite sharing it with thousands of people, I still feel it is my own. Even when I lived in Korea for a bit, I tried to go by my Korean name to "fit in" but even my grandfather, who paid some fortuneteller a lot of money to give me the Korean name would call me Grace, or rather "Gureisu."

Out of all the films you've created which film is your favorite?
I like them all because they remind me of who I was at that particular point in my life, but I do have a special place in my heart for Barrier Device. It was my thesis film from film school and I had a great time working with my friends and also with Sandra Oh and Suzy Nakamura. I also have a special fondness for The Grace Lee Project because I got to meet so many fascinating people through the film, and live vicariously through other Grace Lees because of it.

Have you considered or were you offered an opportunity to direct music videos or television shows?
I think it would be fun to direct both, but I haven't really pursued it because I've got a lot of documentaries and fiction films I'm focusing on now.

How does it feel to have such a common name?
If you watch The Grace Lee Project, you will get a 68-minute long answer.

After you made the film do you feel that you've broken down some of the stigmas and stereotypes that were associated with the name Grace Lee?
See above.

Out of all the Grace Lee's you spoke with and meet was there one Grace Lee that closely resembled you or were they all complete opposites?
I don't know if we closely resemble each other, but there is one Grace Lee out there who also was making films, and when we met for the first time we realized that our mothers worked together as pathologists in Chicago. I also recently heard from a Grace Lee who grew up in my same hometown, but is several years younger than me. I think each Grace Lee has within her the potential to be very similar and completely different to me because I only captured a very brief moment in our ever-evolving identities.

Can you describe what it was like coming from Missouri and later residing in New York and then Los Angeles?
Although I was born and raised in Missouri, I also spent time in Washington DC,Philadelphia France, and then Seoul before moving to New York. So it wasn't a big deal. It was more of a contrast moving from my hometown to Seoul.

Do you feel there's a difference between East Coast Asian Americans versus West Coast Asian Americans?
The west coast Asian Americans are more tan.

Was it your dream to become a film maker when you were growing up?
No. I was always interested in stories and writing and curious about other people and cultures. I only realized that a visual medium might be more conducive to what I wanted to do when we started making Camp Arirang, my first documentary that was shot in Korea.

How has filmmaking impacted your life today?
It has allowed me to meet so many fascinating people – not just in front of the camera, but behind it as well. I love the medium and the process – although not necessarily the business. I love the collaborative aspect of filmmaking and it's also incredibly satisfying to share what I want to express with an audience.

What does it mean to be a Korean American? What does it mean to be a Korean American film maker?
I can only speak for myself. But being Korean American means being from and having a relationship with both cultures and both countries. Since I grew up in the Midwest, I didn't have access to a large KA community such as what exists in Los Angeles or on New York but I do have a strong relationship with my family and friends in Korea because I have been traveling back and forth for the past 15 years. Korean American and filmmaker are just two facets to describe me – I think there are many more labels that you could stick on me but whatever works.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us; do you have any parting words you want to leave with?
If you know a Grace Lee, please direct them to www.gracelee.net.

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This issue of A-Profiler is brought to you by Ray Lam. Special thanks to Grace Lee.

Images courtesy of Grace Lee.
Copyright retained by original copyright holder.