Short Documentary Films

Three documentaries explore the preservation of papermaking, indigo dyeing, and weaving traditions among Kam communities.

The documentary series includes Cai Lun’s Key: How the Kam People Preserved the Earliest Papermaking, Denim Gold: How the Kam People Preserved the Earliest Indigo Dyeing, and Flower My Belts: How the Kam People Preserved the Earliest Weaving.

Research and production

For the three 2022 documentaries, Lee directed, scripted, filmed, produced, edited, and color-graded the work, in addition to developing promotional materials and project websites. The films focus on endangered processes of papermaking, indigo dyeing, and weaving.

Cai Lun’s Key runs approximately 15 minutes; Denim Gold runs approximately 30 minutes. Both were documented as part of the Archaeology Channel’s Strata: Portraits of Humanity programming.