Academy Announces Janet Yang Endowment for Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander Filmmaking

Endowment provides essential funding and resources to support Asian and AAPI programming at the Academy Museum and acquisitions into the Academy Collection

Academy President Janet Yang and Director Ang Lee to join in conversation on May 9 
to Celebrate Launch of Endowment and the 25th Anniversary of 
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today the creation of the Janet Yang Endowment to Celebrate and Preserve Asian and AAPI filmmaking as part of Academy100, a global revenue diversification and outreach campaign designed to expand the Academy’s worldwide scope, ensure the success of its next 100 years, and connect audiences through their shared love of cinema. This endowment will, in perpetuity, celebrate the legacy, impact, and contributions of Asian and AAPI filmmakers and provide essential funding and resources to support Asian and AAPI programming at the Academy Museum, as well as the acquisition and preservation of Asian and AAPI-related film items in the Academy Collection. The endowment honors the legacy of Yang, the first Asian American president of the Academy, whose dedication to advancing diversity has helped pave the way for greater representation in entertainment and beyond.

“As a proud Asian American, it has been a privilege to serve alongside Janet Yang in support and celebration of Asian and AAPI filmmakers.” said Academy Museum Director and President Amy Homma. “This endowment builds upon the work the Academy has been doing for decades through our Academy Collection and now through the museum, to share Asian cinema through preservation, public programming, and exhibition.”

“As the Academy continues to expand its global presence, the future of our non-profit cultural institution is strengthened by deepening our reach and impact with the international film community, including Asian and AAPI communities,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “I am so honored that this endowment will support the preservation of international cinema and the education of future generations of filmmakers, cinephiles, and filmgoers.”

In honor of the launch of the endowment, the museum will screen a limited series of Chinese-language films titled Raising the Lantern: A Celebration of Chinese-Language Cinema, running April 10 through May 24, guest programmed by Yang. The series features films submitted by mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan for consideration for the Academy Awards International Feature Film category. On May 9, director Ang Lee will join Yang in person for an on-stage conversation following a presentation of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) in 35mm from a print from the Academy Film Archive. Ahead of the May 9 screening, Gold House and the Academy Museum will co-host a reception honoring Yang and her legacy.

The goal of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is to advance the understanding, celebration, and preservation of cinema through inclusive and accessible exhibitions, screenings, programs, initiatives, and collections. Since opening, objects on view from Asian and AAPI films have included costumes from Eiko Ishioka’s collection and Jessica Yu’s powerful Oscar acceptance speech. The museum has also featured a gallery devoted to the iconic work of Bruce Lee, and the museum’s inaugural temporary exhibition, Hayao Miyazaki, was the first major North American museum retrospective dedicated to the Japanese animator and filmmaker. In March 2025, the museum opened Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon Ho, the first exhibition dedicated to the internationally acclaimed, Oscar-winning film director. It is on view now through January 10, 2027.

The Academy Museum also features Asian and AAPI films through year-round film programming from notable filmmakers such as Gregg Araki, Joan Chen, Arthur Dong, Bong Joon Ho, Sammo Hung, Song Kang-ho, Lisa Lu, Yasujirō Ozu, S.S. Rajamouli, Satyajit Ray, Yim Soon-rye, and Youn Yuh-jung. Programs often feature special in-person appearances.