Jessie Lee is a Taiwanese-American editor and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she spent ten years growing up in Taiwan, and her work revolves around themes of displacement. Prior to directing, she was an assistant editor at a trailer house, as well as an assistant cameraperson. She has also assistant directed on over 15 short films from all over the world, including the United States, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jordan. She holds an MFA in Film Directing from the University of California Los Angeles, and is a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700). Her editing credits also include Lamara (Durban International Film Festival, Uganda Film Festival), No Law, No Heaven (BAFTA Student Film Awards, Student Academy Awards, Gotham Awards), and State of the Cat.

Jessie’s short film Tea Shop 《馨，䎏》 premiered at Palm Springs International Shortfest and was a recipient of the Edie and Lew Wasserman Fellowship. Shot in Taiwan, the film explores the relationship between two sisters who must confront their diverging notions of home in order to move forward with the family’s tea store. Jessie tells stories of characters that have been uprooted or struggle to find a sense of cultural belonging in their environment.

Ta ye ke yi shuo zhong wen.

Photo courtesy of Dyan Jong