Shanghai Calling is not merely a story about an American businessman moving to Shanghai. Presented in the form of a quirky romantic comedy, this film pulls its audience in by covering love, culture, stereotypes, personal growth and so much more. Daniel Henney plays the character Sam- a driven, uptight, condescending New York lawyer determined to become partner at his well-established firm. Although he is completely disconnected to his Chinese roots, he is sent to Shanghai (much to his discontent) for a business ordeal. What Sam expects to be a short and uneventful three months turns into a crazy, stressful, life-changing adventure.

As Sam deals with a career-ending threat, he comes across characters who most definitely teach him a thing or two. His assistant Fang Fang (played by actress Zhu Zhu) teaches him not to judge a book by its cover. Fang Fang reveals the difficult stereotypes against Chinese women as well as the societal pressures they must face. His relocation specialist Amanda (played by Eliza Coupe) proves that she has embraced Chinese culture more than he ever has despite being Caucasian. The two uncover various assumptions that are placed upon immigrants in China. Most importantly, his business associates allow him to question his integrity and his character. Just how far will he go to make sure his business thrives?

This feel-good movie is intelligent, socially aware, teaches many more lessons than one expects, and is simply a delight to watch. Be sure to check out Shanghai Calling and watch the trailer below:

HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Daniel Henney, Janet Yang, Eliza Coupe, Bill Paxton, Zhu Zhu, Sean Gallagher and Daniel Hsia attend the “Shanghai Calling” Los Angeles premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on February 12, 2013 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Araya Diaz/WireImage)

Named one of the best known ethnic pageants in the world, the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown pageant judges its contestants on their beauty, character, ability to answer questions concerning society, and their portrayal of Chinese women living in America. Yours Truly, Miss Chinatown dives deeply into the personal lives of two young women competing in the Miss Los Angeles Chinatown pageant as well as a Miss Chinatown “imposter”. While the pageant insists that it celebrates old Chinese traditions and embraces the modern Chinese woman, this is not necessarily the case in the lives of Celeste, Priscilla, and Kristina.

Although the film documents the pageant experience, it takes a more intimate turn into the much more difficult obstacles of self-acceptance, family traditions, and a lost identity. The film follows Celeste as she battles with the troubles of being both Chinese and Caucasian while never being fully accepted by either culture. Priscilla struggles through her father’s very strict and traditional Chinese views while living in a very modern world. Kristina, believing that she will never be cut out to be the picture-perfect Miss Chinatown, lives a life of performance (even portraying the character of an over-the-top, awkward Miss Chinatown) in an effort to hide her self esteem issues.

What begins as a mere pageant documentary turns into a very intimate look into the lives of Chinese women dealing with the pressures of their society. The film takes us behind the scenes of not only the pageant, but also of a girl competing simply to feel more Chinese, a family refusing to accept a daughters marriage because of the husbands race, and the pressure thrust upon Chinese women to be beautiful. The film gives audiences a more honest look into the modern Chinese woman- more honest than any pageant alone could have achieved.

“Yours Truly, Miss Chinatown” by Daisy Lin premiered at the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival and won the Fox Studio Diversity Award at the Downtown Film Fest LA. You can watch the entire documentary here.