Filmmakers capture heart of San Francisco Chinatown in documentary

SAN FRANCISCO - Production is underway on the new documentary showcasing the cultural endurance and shifting future of San Francisco’s historic Chinatown.

‘Love letters to the world’

Local filmmakers Brian Rashid and Molly Pacheco, who have traveled the world telling stories of communities through their project "Love Letters to the World," have turned their focus to the Bay Area. Their latest project, "Love Letter to Chinatown," is described by the creators not as a tourism campaign, but as a cinematic exploration of belonging, culture, and emotional identity.

The documentary centers on the grit of immigrant families and the young business owners stepping up to keep local legacies alive.

Among those featured are brothers Eugene Lau and Alvin Lau, the co-owners of 606 Cantonese Cuisine. The brothers previously worked in other industries but chose to step in and take over the restaurant in 2020 when the pandemic hit and their family members retired.

"We wanted to control its destiny," Eugene Lau said. "The most important thing for us is that we come back to Chinatown. We have to figure it out."

Alvin Lau echoed that sentiment, noting the move was a way to "reconnect with culture, kind of pay respects to our parents, our old heritage, but also bring in all the new stuff."

For filmmaker Molly Pacheco, whose own parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico, the stories of these families hit close to home.

"I hope that people see the spirit—the entrepreneurial spirit—but also the spirit of determination and the spirit of wanting to contribute," Pacheco said.

Duk Hing Express

The film also highlights Duk Hing Express, a Cantonese barbecue eatery where 23-year-old John Chen and his brother, Jimmy Chen, are preparing to take over the 25-year-old family business from their parents.

Despite holding a college degree in business administration, John Chen has dedicated himself to the craft as a master roaster. "Cantonese barbecue is something special to our culture," John Chen said. "It's been around for thousands of years. I want people to understand the complexity, the seasoning, the flavor, and people to understand this culture."

Jimmy Chen emphasized that the survival of the neighborhood depends on the next generation taking action. "We have a responsibility to help our parents keep it alive," he said. "If we don't do our part and other people don't do their part, slowly Chinatown is going to change forever."

Brian Rashid, the founder of the film project, stated that these small business owners are giving a profound gift to the community by preserving their family legacies.

"We want to celebrate the city," Rashid said. "We want to celebrate the people that are here making it so great."

The filmmakers hope to complete the documentary by this fall. Upon completion, it will be available to watch for free online and will be screened at a local neighborhood theater to be announced at a later date.

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Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave a message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU