The appearance of Chinese actors and filmmakers in Hollywood film and television has been problematic since the first films appeared in the early 1900s. Arthur Dong’s “Hollywood Chinese” documentary, screening as part of the 11th annual Hawaii International Film Festival Spring Showcase, retraces the struggle that has gone on for 100 years, with no sign of abating anytime soon.

For those new to the controversies, Dong’s work neatly captures the “progress” of Asian-Americans on screen through the decades, depicting the ways that each baby step forward is often accompanied by a leap backward.

The dilemma of the Chinese in film closely mirrors that of the Chinese-American and Asian-American experience in daily life as a minority presence, marked by one stereotype after another.

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