Filmmaker Amy Wang Draws From Personal Experiences for New Horror Movie 'Slanted'

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Filmmaker Amy Wang's new horror movie 'Slanted' is inspired by her own experiences as a Chinese-American immigrant growing up in Australia. The film follows a high school student named Joan who undergoes an experimental ethnic modification surgery in hopes of becoming more popular, but the consequences prove disastrous for her and her family. Wang drew from personal feelings of wanting to 'fit in' and the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes in the U.S. to craft the thought-provoking storyline, which she calls a 'cathartic' process.

Why it matters

The film tackles timely issues of racism, identity, and the pressures many young people of color face to conform to societal beauty standards. By drawing from her own life experiences, Wang has crafted a unique horror story that provides a platform to explore these complex themes in an entertaining and impactful way.

The details

In 'Slanted', the protagonist Joan, played by Shirley Chen, undergoes an experimental surgery that changes her ethnic appearance in the hopes of becoming more popular and achieving her dream of becoming prom queen. The film explores how this decision affects Joan's family life and sense of self. Wang was inspired to write the story after the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings, which targeted Asian American women, and her own experiences growing up as a teenager feeling 'othered' and wishing she could be 'white'.

• The idea for 'Slanted' came to Wang in 2021 following the Atlanta spa shootings.
• The film premiered at the South By Southwest Film Festival a year ago before being acquired by Bleecker Street.

What’s next

Slanted is in theaters now, and audiences can check out what other upcoming horror movies are on the way.