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.
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 premiered at the BAFTA, EFA, and Oscar-qualifying Uppsala International Short Film Festival and continues its festival run worldwide.
An alumni of LaGuardia Arts High School as a studio art major, Holly 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 television and independent film sets, Holly has served as an apprentice to the late Independent Director/Producer Ben Barenholtz and assisted Co-Executive Producer/Director Lisa Soper and Director Alex Pillai on PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN (HBO/Max).
Holly was named a Semi-Finalist for Makazan Films' "Sesame Street Director’s Program" in 2023. 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