Bertha Bay-Sa Pan


Bertha Bay-Sa Pan is a Taiwanese-American Director, Writer and Producer. Born in New Jersey and raised in Taiwan, Pan was educated at Boston University and the Columbia University Graduate Film School receiving a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Directing, while working as a Sales Executive in Film Distribution. Pan’s graduate thesis short film at Columbia University, entitled "Face," garnered various awards from Film Festivals worldwide, including the Director's Guild Award for Best Asian American Student Filmmaker and the Polo Ralph Lauren Award for Best Screenplay.

Films

Pan’s first feature film was titled Face – which stars Kristy Wu, Bai Ling, Kieu Chinh, Ken Leung, Treach, Will Yun Lee and Golden Globe Award and Emmy Award nominee Tina Chen, Premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic Competition, co-written by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman and featured a score by Leonard Nelson Hubbard of The Roots. “Face” obtained the CRITICS AWARD for Best Director at the CineVegas Film Festival, The Audience Award at the GenArt Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Award for Best Director at the Urbanworld Film Festival. Pan was nominated for the prestigious Open Palm at the GOTHAM AWARDS, and awarded the Premio Speciale Prize at the International Women’s Film Festival in Turin, Italy. “Face” was released theatrically in 2005, and received glowing reviews from major publications including The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter, TV Guide, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Star Ledger, The Chicago Tribune, and the BBC, and is currently available on DVD and cable TV.
Pan's Second Feature, Almost Perfect stars Kelly Hu, Edison Chen, Ivan Shaw, Tina Chen, Christina Chang, and Tony Award winner Roger Rees. It screened at various Festivals including The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Friars Club Comedy Film Festival, and the San Diego Asian Film Festival, amongst others., Pan also received the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival's HBO EMERGING FILMMAKER AWARD. The film had a limited U.S. theatrical release in 2012, garnering positive reviews from Variety, San Francisco Examiner, The Honolulu Pulse, etc.

Short films and music videos

Pan’s graduate thesis short film, which she did at Columbia University was entitled Face like her first feature film, and was awarded a number of accolades, including the Director's Guild Award for Best Asian American Student Filmmaker and the Polo Ralph Lauren Award for Best Screenplay.
Pan has also directed a short film entitled "Sluggers", and produced feature films such as Fighting Fish.
Pan has directed music videos for Tre Hardson's "Just Can't Hold On," Chris Trapper's "Wish I Was Cool," "Look What The Wind Blew In," and Princess Katie and Racer Steve's "Sand in My Sandwich."
Her Official Production Company is known as "Slew Pictures" launched in 2008.

Filmography