Esther Eng ((1914-09-24)September 24, 1914 â€" January 25, 1970), born
Ng Kam-ha, was a Cantoneseâ€"American film director and the first
female director to direct Chinese-language films in the United States.
Eng made four feature films in America, and five in Hong Kong. She was
recognized as a female pioneer who crossed the boundaries of race,
language, culture and gender.Esther Eng was born in San Francisco on
September 24, 1914. She was the fourth child in a family of ten
children. Eng's grandparents originally came to America from Toy Shan
(Taishan) county in southern China's Guangdong province. Eng was a fan
of Cantonese Opera and having lived in San Francisco she was able to
socialize with the Cantonese singers and actors who performed there.
San Francisco had Chinese language theaters which were successful and
had hosted some of the best actors from China.When Eng was 19, her
father and his business partners created a film production company
with Eng as a producer. The studio was based at 1010 Washington Street
while Esther looked for a studio in Los Angeles. Esther's first screen
credit was as co-producer on the film Heartache (1936). Heartache is
set in San Francisco and was directed by Frank Tang, and was shot in
eight days, with two reels in color. The film was made at a rented
studio in Hollywood. In 1936, along with friends and the film's
leading actress Wai Kim Fong, Eng went to Hong Kong for the film's
premiere at the Queens Theater under the title Iron Blood, Fragrant
Soul.After China entered war with Japan, she directed the film
National Heroine (1937) about a female pilot that fights for her
country. The film was a success which led to Eng staying in Hong Kong
where she directed her next two films: Ten Thousand Lovers and Storm
of Envy, both released in 1938. She also co-directed the film A Night
of Romance, A Lifetime of Regret with Wu Peng and Leung Wai-man. In
1939, she created the film It's A Women's World which had an all
female cast showcasing 36 women in different professions.
Ng Kam-ha, was a Cantoneseâ€"American film director and the first
female director to direct Chinese-language films in the United States.
Eng made four feature films in America, and five in Hong Kong. She was
recognized as a female pioneer who crossed the boundaries of race,
language, culture and gender.Esther Eng was born in San Francisco on
September 24, 1914. She was the fourth child in a family of ten
children. Eng's grandparents originally came to America from Toy Shan
(Taishan) county in southern China's Guangdong province. Eng was a fan
of Cantonese Opera and having lived in San Francisco she was able to
socialize with the Cantonese singers and actors who performed there.
San Francisco had Chinese language theaters which were successful and
had hosted some of the best actors from China.When Eng was 19, her
father and his business partners created a film production company
with Eng as a producer. The studio was based at 1010 Washington Street
while Esther looked for a studio in Los Angeles. Esther's first screen
credit was as co-producer on the film Heartache (1936). Heartache is
set in San Francisco and was directed by Frank Tang, and was shot in
eight days, with two reels in color. The film was made at a rented
studio in Hollywood. In 1936, along with friends and the film's
leading actress Wai Kim Fong, Eng went to Hong Kong for the film's
premiere at the Queens Theater under the title Iron Blood, Fragrant
Soul.After China entered war with Japan, she directed the film
National Heroine (1937) about a female pilot that fights for her
country. The film was a success which led to Eng staying in Hong Kong
where she directed her next two films: Ten Thousand Lovers and Storm
of Envy, both released in 1938. She also co-directed the film A Night
of Romance, A Lifetime of Regret with Wu Peng and Leung Wai-man. In
1939, she created the film It's A Women's World which had an all
female cast showcasing 36 women in different professions.
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