Jenn Shang Lee (she/her) (formerly Jenn Lee Smith) is a queer/lesbian filmmaker who founded beWilder Films to produce and amplify underrepresented stories. Since 2001, she has engaged in social and environmental work in the academic, nonprofit, and film worlds. Through Sundance Catalyst, she has executive produced the documentaries FOOD AND COUNTRY (Sundance 2023), MIJA (Sundance 2022), and BRING HER HOME (PBS 2022). She also supported the short fiction VALENTINE (Tribeca 2022), as well as documentaries PRAY AWAY (Tribeca 2021) and DILEMMA OF DESIRE (SXSW 2020). Jenn began her filmmaking career as the producer of the short documentary FAITHFUL (2017) and the historical fiction JANE AND EMMA (2018). Her first documentary as lead producer was HOME COURT (LAAPFF 2024). She also produced the short documentary FIRE TENDER (PBS 2024).
As a writer, she contributes to Asian American media and Mormon Studies literature. She’s a member of DPA, A-Doc, and BGDM and a former Re-Present Media fellow. As a researcher and writer, Jenn was awarded grants from the Asia Institute and the Social Science Research Council, and contributes to Asian American magazines and media. Jenn has an MA in Human Geography from UCLA.
