Holly M. Kaplan
李美娟
Holly M. Kaplan is a second-generation Chinese-American filmmaker born and raised in New York City. Inspired by ties to her mixed Cantonese heritage, Holly is invested in bringing narratives about diversity and the Asian diaspora to the forefront with a focus on femme perspectives.
She attended LaGuardia Arts High School as a studio art major and earned her BA at American University studying film & media arts and anthropology, in addition to completing a filmmaking program at FAMU International Prague. With a background working on the sets of television and independent film, Holly has served as an apprentice to the late Independent Director/Producer Ben Barenholtz and assisted Executive Producer/Director Lisa Soper and Director Alex Pillai on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN (HBO/Max).
In 2022, Holly was chosen for NALIP and Netflix's “Latino Lens: Narrative Short Film Incubator for Women of Color” to write, direct, and produce SUNFLOWER GIRL, starring Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja (AFTER YANG). The film was awarded PANO Network’s "Microgrant" and premiered at the BAFTA, EFA, and Oscar-qualifying Uppsala International Short Film Festival and continues its festival run worldwide. Holly was also named a Semi-Finalist for Makazan Films' "Sesame Street Director’s Program." Working with underrepresented artists and collaborators, she continues to direct short-form content and music videos aligned with her goals to create authentic art and representation.
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Photo Credit: Janira Natalie Hernandez