About

THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN CREATIVE TEAM:

ABOUT THE WRITER-DIRECTOR:

Richard Van is a San Francisco-based filmmaker of Vietnamese descent. One of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film, Richard works both in fiction and documentary, often looking at familial interactions within different cultural contexts and dealing with issues of memory, contemporary masculinity, childhood, and cultural representation. He holds an MFA in Film directing from the California Institute of the Arts as well as a BA in Philosophy from University of California, Berkeley and is currently serving on the board of directors for the Southeast Asian Development Center in San Francisco. His CalArts thesis film HIẾU, a comedy-drama about a dysfunctional Vietnamese American family, premiered at the 2019 Festival de Cannes for its Cinéfondation Selection where it won Deuxième Prix.

ABOUT THE CASTING DIRECTOR-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

Damian Bao is a Vietnamese American casting director, producer, filmmaker, visual artist, and human and animal rights advocate. Born in Vietnam and raised in the U.S. after his family fled as refugees, Damian’s early life in a diverse, working-class community shaped his empathy and lifelong commitment to amplifying voices often left unheard. He approaches storytelling with a focus on authenticity, radical empathy, and breaking barriers around who gets to tell and embody the stories shaping culture.

Over the past decade, Damian’s work has bridged film, music, art, design, and fashion, challenging the lack of diversity in mainstream media and advocating for equity in front of and behind the camera. In 2021, he was recognized on Good Morning America’s “Inspiration List” for his leadership and kindness, with actress and supermodel Leyna Bloom citing his tireless efforts to create real equality and change. Damian has shared his expertise at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes, and the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and is a member of the Casting Society of America. His career reflects an unwavering dedication to telling human stories that bring people together across divides.

THIS CASTING CALL IS HOSTED BY DAMIAN BAO CASTING.

Damian Bao Casting is a top global creative casting studio that has for over a decade helped clients and collaborators create bold and striking visual projects in film and advertising.

Films that were cast by Damian Bao have premiered and won prizes at the world’s top film festivals, such as Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, Berlinale, SXSW, etc.

His advertising client list includes the world biggest brands, including Meta, Facebook, Google, Ray-Ban, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Balmain, Prada, Valentino, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, The Children’s Place, Air Jordan, Vogue, Sephora, Ulta, Nars, Revlon, Cavalli, DKNY, Gap, eBay, Samsung, LG, Chase Bank, Remy Martin, Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, HP, Cadillac, among many others.

Damian Bao has also helped top global artists cast faces and characters for their music videos and visual branding projects. He has worked with BTS J Hope, Super Junior, Seventeen, Beyoncé, Laga Gaga, Selena Gomez, Olivia Rodrigo, Charli xcx, Billie Eilish, Ludacris, Chappell Roan, Sam Smith, A$AP Rocky, FKA Twigs, Coldplay, and many more.