Miramonte High School Filmmakers Spotlight Asian-Owned Businesses

    Miramonte students are doing amazing things these days, especially two young filmmakers, storytellers and good friends, Nicole Guo and Jarret Zundel, both seniors at the school.
    In conjunction with their 30-member production team, the duo created three shorts through their non-profit, Stories From Our Roots, which showcased at the Orinda Theatre in September.
    Their films are about Asian-owned businesses, titled Beyond Soybeans, Jumping into Water and Lotus Roots and are less than 14-minutes long. Zundel talked about how he and Guo were inspired to start their non-profit.
    Zundel, who was born in San Francisco said, “Nicole and I go to Chinatown often, and each time we have meaningful conversations with the business owners. We realized there are so many human stories behind Asian-owned businesses – about the owners’ immigration, struggles, successes and everything in between.”
    Guo was born in Walnut Creek and raised in Lamorinda. Her mom and dad, Hui Cheng Guo and Jinghua Guo, immigrated from China.
    Producing these films has a personal meaning to her.
    “As someone born and raised in the Bay Area, we rarely learn about the stories of Asian immigrants, who make up a large percentage of California’s residents,” said Guo. “I think the Bay Area’s diversity is what makes it such a special place. At first, we were just high schoolers talking to business owners because we were interested in their journeys from their backgrounds.”
    Zundel is equally passionate about producing these films. He spent his childhood listening to his Waipo’s (maternal grandmother) stories of immigrating to San Francisco from Guangdong and working as a ticket vendor at a Chinese movie theater.
    “Yet to those who knew her, she was so much more than a ticket vendor,” said Zundel. “Like many other immigrants coming from China, she first settled in Chinatown. From the outside perspective, it’s a place to get Chinese goods, however, I think in order to keep these communities alive, it is crucial we push for them to be seen as more than sources of goods and services. When people care about a community for its intrinsic value, they will support it economically, and that’s why Asian storytelling is so important to me.”
    It’s also important to their entire production team.
    “While we have many members in our organization, those who constitute our main team include seniors Olivia Lee and Jenny Zhao, video editors, junior Emma Wong, video editor and publicity director, and Cindy Xie, Chinese-English translator and recent high school graduate who was born and raised and now lives in China,” said Guo.
    Jennet Zundel, Jarett’s mom, is proud of her son and the team.
    “Jarret felt he could better capture their [Asian business owners] inspirational thoughts through this medium rather than through just his own writing,” said Jennet. “When I saw the way he and Nicole spoke on camera for the first time, I was floored by their poise and passion they had for these Asian businesses. Jarret is so fortunate to have made the acquaintance of so many people with stories that are not often told to a wider audience.”
    Guo’s father is equally proud.
    “Nicole and Jarret have accomplished something truly remarkable, and we feel an overwhelming sense of pride for them,” said Jinghua. “We are incredibly proud of both of them for creating compelling film projects that shed light on the experiences of Asian immigrants who started businesses in America.”
    Lotus Roots is about Hoang Ho, a single mother and Vietnamese immigrant who founded Kibi’s Café, in Theatre Square. It won second place in the 2023 Student World Impact Film Festival, in the Social Issue category. Visit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2lZvoGzlGk)
    Jinghua said the stories told in the films have resonated deeply with the Asian community and touched the hearts of Lamorinda residents and beyond.
    “It’s truly a testament to these high schoolers’ talent, dedication and the impact they’ve had on others through their work,” he said. “We will continue to support and encourage them on their journey, knowing they have the potential to make even more significant contributions in the future.”
    Guo, Zundel and their team hope these films shed light on inclusivity as well.
    “It’s integral that we are intentional in our efforts to make this community a home for Asian immigrants. Whether that means providing culturally sensitive food options, Cantonese-language schools or diverse representation in our media, we, as a society, can support our marginalized communities in a myriad of ways,” said Zundel.
    Guo adds, “For me, inclusivity allows our community to learn more about the stories that often go untold. I learned these stories can often be the most fascinating and ones I learn the most from.”
Follow and visit Stories From Our Roots on Instagram @storiesfromourroots, online at www.storiesfromourroots.org and subscribe to their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@storiesfromourroots.