Grace Lee Interview Director of American Zombie
We had a chance to interview Grace Lee the director of American Zombie. MovieMaven played 50 questions and did a great interview with the director. Filmmakers Grace Lee (The Grace Lee Project) and John Solomon (Nonsense Man) team up to shoot a documentary about high-functioning zombies living in Los Angeles and their struggles to gain acceptance in human society.
Despite their wildly different working styles, the two manage to chronicle the hopes and dreams of four fascinating subjects: IVAN, a convenience-store clerk who longs for a career in publishing; LISA, a florist trying to recover her lost memories; JUDY, a hopeless romantic who learns to accept her true nature; and JOEL, a committed political activist striving for zombie rights. But as the film culminates in a three-day, zombies-only retreat called Live Dead, the filmmakers are forced to reevaluate their ideas about tolerance, identity politics, and the future of the human race.
Give us a few words about what to expect from American Zombie?
GRACE LEE: American Zombie is not your average zombie movie. The film I made prior to this was a personal documentary about stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding Asian Americans. I thought zombies might be able to relate to some of the issues of being misunderstood so it made sense to look into the problems of zombie identity.
What was the inspiration for this particular angle on zombies in America?
GRACE LEE: Like all the films I make, I am inspired by the settings and people around me. I live in Los Angeles, California, in 21st century America. I literally live in and frequent the neighborhoods of Hollywood and east Hollywood, and a lot of people and places I encounter on a daily basis fit under the label of “undead.”
Did you find yourself sticking with your original message during the writing process or were you steered differently by the end, as happens so often with writing?
GRACE LEE: The end is basically what I intended, but the filmmaking process let us get there through a slightly skewed path.
Did you have to watch tons of zombie films in preparation for writing or were you already a fan?
GRACE LEE: I am a fan of the classics (Romero, especially Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead) and my writing partner and I watched more of the older (like early 20th century) zombie movies that weren’t so much into the gore and blood. We were more interested in looking into the inner lives of zombies and what might motivate the way they behave.
What do you have to say to those who have accused this film of being a “rip-off” of Ed Helm’s similarly Zombie-American from 2005, co written and directed by Nick Poppy?
GRACE LEE: I’d ask them if they’ve actually seen AMERICAN ZOMBIE. If I’ve “ripped off” anything, it’s my own documentary filmmaking background.
Is this possibly a not-so-gentle poke aimed at the current fascination with reality shows, were your sights aimed at a more serious subject like racial prejudice, or did you just want to have fun with a not-so- serious subject?
GRACE LEE: All of the above.
After making this film, would you consider yourself a zombie advocate?
GRACE LEE: Yes and no. Some zombies deserve more advocacy than others. 
The idea of this movie brings to mind Riley’s line at the end of Land of the Dead about how the zombies are just looking for a place to be. Is that what you found to be true for the zombies in your film?
GRACE LEE: Good point. I think the subjects of American Zombie are on an existential search. It’s a tough place to be, stuck somewhere between life and death and in between. There’s even a song about it in the movie.
9. Traditional zombie films portray the living dead as mindless walking corpses hell-bent on eating human flesh, but you have given them a voice. Would a standard zombie fan still find this entertaining?
GRACE LEE: I think anybody who would be interested in zombies with a voice will be entertained. There’s only so much you can fathom from a zombie who constantly moans the words “braaaiiiins.”
10. Are there elements of the zombies we are familiar with still present within American Zombie?
GRACE LEE: Yes.
I know our readers are dying to know about the level of gore. Is there any to speak of or will true zombie-philes be disappointed in that respect?
GRACE LEE: There is some, but you have to remember that documentary filmmaker Grace Lee tries to be respectful to her subjects. She knows that is only one aspect of being a zombie.
You have quite an impressive line-up of documentaries and award- winning short films under your belt. Were you looking to break into the horror genre or is this merely a stop-off in your filmmaking travels? Or do you even consider American Zombie a horror film?
GRACE LEE: I like to call American Zombie a personal horror film, since what happens in the course of the film represents for me my own personal nightmare as a filmmaker. Many people have said that the movie is a genre bender, and I think that works. I try to make my films adhere to the kinds of stories I want to tell, and whether it ends up being a horror film, a documentary, or as in this case, both, as long as the message gets across I’m happy.
American Zombie has been featured at several film festivals so far, what sort of feedback have you received?
GRACE LEE: Feedback has been great. We sold out at Slamdance, SXSW, and got great reviews and audience reactions at screening in LA, SF, Spain at the Sitges festival where we had our international premiere. I was pleasantly surprised from the reactions in Spain because the film feels very much about America and American sensibiities right now…but maybe that’s why it did well as it’s quite common to take an objective, yet critical look at American culture these days.
You certainly have a lot of accomplishments so far, what is your most cherished experience from filmmaking to date?
GRACE LEE: Finishing each film, watching it with an audience and getting their direct feedback is always satisfying. I especially like meeting different kinds of audiences — with my last film, I met a lot of people who are fans of documentary and/or Asian American stories.. with AZ, I’ve definitely met a lot more horror and zombie fans. It’s great to meet such a wide diversity of movie fans.
Do you strive to be an inspiration to upcoming directors or do you feel that role has been thrust upon you due to your sex or ethnic background?
GRACE LEE: I don’t actively try to be a role model based on my background…I’m just trying to get my films made in the way I know how and if people are inspired by that, I’m flattered.
Tell us a little bit about what it was like to be a Korean- American growing up in the midwest? Did your own experiences play a part with the direction that you took in American Zombie?
GRACE LEE: Growing up in the Midwest in a small college town probably shaped my curiosity about the rest of the world more than anything else. I’ve always been interested in people, particularly those with stories you may not have heard from before. This includes “marginalized communities” or stories that seem to defy mainstream understanding… which could include anything from a second-generation, non-korean speaking Korean American in Missouri to a zombie in Los Angeles.
An accomplished female director is something we don’t see nearly as much as we should. What are some of the challenges you have faced in your career?
GRACE LEE: I think it’s difficult to get films made, period, even harder if you’re an independent filmmaker. Most of the challenges as a female director lie in other peoples’ perceptions of who is a director. There are people who wouldn’t expect a petite Asian woman to be a film director, but I usually don’t end up working with them.
Do you feel that meeting these challenges has made you a stronger woman as well as a stronger director?
GRACE LEE: Going through the process of making a film from start to finish is what makes me a stronger director. Not sure if that makes me a stronger woman, though. The thing that has made me a stronger woman is raising a newborn infant.. that has by far been harder than any production I’ve gone through!
Do you have any advice for other women seeking a career behind the camera?
GRACE LEE: Work with good people and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Nothing is more annoying to me than someone who is trying to hide that they don’t know what they are doing. This applies to both men and women. It’s much better to admit your limitations or areas that you might need help and solve problems rather than let things get out of hand because you’re really not experienced or qualified.
Is there anything you have in the works that you wish to tell us about at this time?
GRACE LEE: I’m working on developing a couple of television show pilots with my writing partner as well as figuring out the next feature film. While we were shooting American Zombie, I kept thinking that the sequel should be Canadian Zombie!! But maybe a Canadian should make that one. Any takers?
And finally are you a reader of Horror-movies.ca?
GRACE LEE: I am now!
If you live in the Los Angeles area make sure to come to the Exclusive Engagement of Grace Lee’s AMERICAN ZOMBIE at Laemmle’s Sunset 5 – starts Friday 3/28. Come “au naturel” to the Friday or Saturday 10pm shows and win cool stuff! You can get the poster as a wallpaper right here and can watch the trailer right here Thanks to Grace for taking the time to do this inteview. Be sure to support indie filmmaking and checkout her film when it hits DVD and of course share this with your friends. Filmmakers like Grace need all the support we can give them!
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