| The Chinese Exclusion Act | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | |
| Written by | Ric Burns[1] |
| Produced by | |
| Narrated by | Hoon Lee[1] |
| Cinematography |
|
| Edited by | Li-Shin Yu[1] |
| Music by | Brian Keane[1] |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Public Broadcasting Service |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 162 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Chinese Exclusion Act is a 2017 documentary film about the United StatesChinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Produced byPBS as a "special presentation" for theAmerican Experience documentary program, it explores how the Act's 61-year-long prohibition of Chinese immigrants to the United States had an effect on Chinese communities already living in the country. Directed byRic Burns and Li-Shin Yu, who also served as writer and editor respectively, the film premiered in the 2017CAAMFest and aired on PBS in the United States on May 29, 2018.[3]
The documentary began production in 2012.[4]
Mike Hale ofThe New York Times commendedThe Chinese Exclusion Act for its timeliness and stated that it serves as "a cautionary tale" about the history of immigration in the United States, and that "throughout the film, the contemporary parallels smack you in the face."[5] Hanh Nguyen ofIndieWire called the work a "damning look at how the American government fostered racism," calling it "essential viewing for context on today’s immigration debate." Nguyen says, "The horrific accounts the documentary details are compounded by the fact that this entire chapter of history isn’t as widely familiar as it should be."[6]
The Chinese Exclusion Act was released onDVD byPBS on June 19, 2018.[2]