Amy Chen’s acclaimed new documentary The Chinatown Files reveals the hidden story of Chinese-American men and women who were hunted down, jailed, and targeted for deportation during the Cold War hysteria of the 1950’s and l960’s. Their interviews are interwoven with rare home movies, photographs and archival films exploring the prejudice and xenophobia surrounding U.S.-China relations.

During the McCarthy era witchhunts, the loyalties of over ten thousand American citizens of Chinese descent were questioned based on their ethnicity and alleged risk to national security. Henry Chin, a laundry worker and president of the Chinese Hand Laundry Alliance and the China Daily News, describes how "Chinese immigrants came to America for a better life for themselves and the loved ones they left behind in their impoverished villages." Yet for sending money home, his friends were charged by the U.S. government for trading with the enemy and his life was shattered by constant FBI surveillance and harassment. Other people featured in the film include several members of Mun Ching, the Chinese American Democratic Youth League in San Francisco who were harassed by the FBI. Several agents speak candidly of the FBI objectives in Washington, D.C., San Francisco and New York.
The Chinatown Files is a cautionary tale of how nationalist paranoia can quickly lead to racially-motivated violations of civil rights and liberties. It serves as a dramatic and enduring reminder of the fragility of constitutional protections, encouraging viewers to reexamine the democratic promises of the American government and to hold all of society responsible when rights are infringed.

"… the recent case of Wen Ho Lee is a perfect example of how we … needed to look for spies again in American society." Professor Ling Chi Wang, University of California, Berkeley
"An excellent case of history shedding light on important current civil liberties and freedom of expression issues." Diane Weyermann, Sundance International Documentary Fund
"A superb documentary, a triumph of organization, research and clarity that reveals the horrific impact of the McCarthy era upon the Chinese American community." Los Angeles Times
"personalizes a lesser known aspect of that paranoid time (McCarthy-era)." Booklist
" Highly recommended." Educational Media Reviews Online
"This is a story worth knowing. Recommended for general viewers." Library Journal

Notable Videos for Adults, ALA 2002
Henry Hampton Award, Council on Foundations, 2002
Women in the Director's Chair, 2001
Hawaii International Film Festival, 2001
Museum of Modern Art, New Documentary Series, 2001