Check out our trailer!
Truer History brings together the past and present of four generations of my San Francisco Chinese American family through stories about my grandfather and me as we try to reach for respectable society’s highest echelons and try to break free from their family’s history as Gold Rush sex traffickers – complete with song, dance, and lotsa variety acts.
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Behind the Scenes of the making of Truer History
Help us bring the Truer History of the Chan Family free-to-the public!
In September 2024, we finished The Truer History of the Chan Family, and began screening at film festivals across the nation. Now, we're we're preparing to screen it at free-to-the community watch parties with our community partners and online!
Related Tidbits!
Truer History at the historic Temple Theater, Hanford CA
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This was an especially meaningful event because my great uncle Thomas, a major character in the film, married and raised his family in Hanford. The film, in large part, was inspired by Uncle Thomas, his Irish American wife Jo Mac, and their daughter Camille. In real life, Camille became a community historian and founded The Taoist Temple museum in Hanford's historic China Alley. She and her daughter Arianne Wing is the reason why so much Central Chinese history has been preserved and revealed. I am indebted to Auntie Camille's generosity and openness. www.kingsplayers.org
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(Erin Mei-Ling Stuart)
Nov 10, 2024: a Theater Play Date!We introduced the film with a singalong to one of Truer History's original songs at Clarion Performing Arts Center in San Francisco's Chinatown. Much merriment was had
Nov 23, 2024: a Mini Sneak Peak Online!When I set out to find out more about my family’s involvement in San Francisco's Hip Yee Society, a once notorious gambling and prostitution tong, my discoveries inspired me to tell the story of a family chasing the American Dream in 1920s Chinatown – The Truer History of the Chan Family, our first feature film!
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May 17, 2025: Truer History debuts in Boston!So happy and so proud of the team of amazing artists who created and brought this film to life.
So grateful to ArtsEmerson for supporting the project as a development partner and presenter. |
Courtesy Bancroft Library
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"Chinese sex slaves' origin in Gold Rush"San Francisco Chronicle columnist Gary Kamiya's 2018 article "Chinese sex slaves' origin in Gold Rush" in Portals of the Past, is personally relevant to my family as it mentions the now defunct Hip Yee Tong, the first organization to infamously traffic sex slaves in San Francisco in 1852 -- and the subject of The Truer History of the Chan Family, my Gum Saan Trilogy's second play. |
With thanks to the many individuals and foundations that support us.
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We are a member of Intersection for the Arts. Intersection for the Arts is a historic arts nonprofit that provides people working in arts and culture with fiscal sponsorship and resources to grow.