Filmmaker Pete Lee's Journey to Sundance

Pete Lee's journey as a filmmaker began in his teens when he was growing up in Taiwan, during what he calls "the golden age of Hong Kong cinema." Anime and manga were also a big part of his life. As the son of strict missionaries, Lee would often make excuses to sneak off and read the newest chapter of Dragon Ball Z. This whirlwind of action-filled media would serve as inspiration for him later in life.

Lee moved to the United States in his teens. After the move, access to the Asian media that he so enjoyed became more limited. However, Lee didn't let that slow him down. Eventually, he connected with a group of filmmakers in Oakland, California, who shared similar interests. Together, they re-enacted the action movies they loved to varying levels of success.

Later in his life, Lee also became interested in photography. Lee credits his photography with discovering how to impact further the stories he likes to tell. "I've become more well-versed in how to get good light or dramatic light [to match] the energy of the story that I'm trying to tell," Lee said. Also, photography helped Lee learn what shots he needed.

In 2018, Lee's short film "Don't Be a Hero," about a humble retail worker who robs banks while cross-dressing as a cowboy, screened at the Sundance Film Festival. An article published in the Texas Monthly titled "The Last Ride of Cowboy Bob" inspired Lee to write an epic one-hundred-twenty-page screenplay that he now describes as "a failure." Lee would later re-develop the idea as a successful short film. Lee was rejected from Sundance a few times before, so he had already made peace with himself as a filmmaker by the time he was accepted. After all the hard work he and his crew put into it, "Don't Be a Hero" was the first film that he felt truly confident about—not because he was sure it would be accepted, but because he would be okay if it weren't.

"Don't Be a Hero" explored an "unlikely heroes" trope that Lee has always been interested in and inspired by, as characters are more interesting when they're going against expectations. He feels that this makes it easier for the audience to relate to them. 

Filmmaking hasn't always been easy for Lee. Indie filmmaking is much more accessible now, and the demand for filmmakers like him is much lower than it once was. Additionally, it's difficult for indie filmmakers to live in an expensive city like San Francisco. Lee also talked about the invisible barrier faced by Asian filmmakers, but this is starting to get better as demand for representation increases.

As a filmmaker, Pete Lee's goal is to "continue the conversation" and make the same impact as the films that inspire him. He hopes to continue to explore the limits of storytelling and "have something meaningful to say" in the world of cinema. "Don't Be a Hero" is just the beginning for him.