There are stories that shape and celebrate us, and then there are histories – tales of events that grow and impact present and future generations in unanticipated ways. One of those stories belongs to Henry Gee, who for many years owned the Oriental Food Market in Albuquerque, across the street from the Santa Fe Railroad Depot.
His story is one of several New Mexico recollections in a new film titled Chinese American Merchants of Albuquerque, premiering Oct. 17 at the 10th annual Albuquerque Chinese American Film Festival (ACAFF). The festival serves as a platform to tell and share Chinese/Asian American stories produced by Chinese/Asian American filmmakers united by the theme “The Stories that Shape Us.”
“Henry’s story is extremely fascinating because, I believe, that he was one of the most innovative entrepreneurs that Albuquerque has ever seen,” said Paul Jew, ACAFF executive director and filmmaker.
In 1968, Gee relocated his family to Northern California to be closer to his wife’s family. While there, he got involved in real estate in a town called Mountain View, which had lost many mom-and-pop businesses due to development of a mall.
Gee approached the owners of these struggling properties, seeking to list them. Since the storefronts were empty and losing money, many owners agreed.
Gee took out an ad in the Chinese language newspaper in San Francisco’s Chinatown, appealing to Chinese merchants and cooks seeking low-rent property. Soon, the vacant spaces were bustling again.
The area eventually became Silicon Valley.
“When it came time for many of these old Chinese former cooks and merchants to retire – having been able to buy their own properties over the years – they were now able to rent their old storefronts out to Silicon Valley-types of businesses, or sell them for millions of dollars, Jew said.
“They had created generational wealth because Henry Gee got them to move to Mountain View. And it all started with this guy from New Mexico, who owned the Oriental Food Market in Albuquerque.”
Filmmakers from around the country are scheduled to be part of a panel discussion at the festival, sharing their own stories and how they made their films, as well as tales they uncovered.
The event, presented by the Chinese Americans Citizens Alliance – Albuquerque Lodge and New Mexico PBS, is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the South Broadway Cultural Center, 1025 Broadway Blvd. SE, and is free to all ($10 suggested donation). Lunch is also complimentary to the first 100 registrants. Register at: https://artsandculture.cabq.gov/17510
The festival schedule is as follows:
9 a.m. – Paper Daughter
A highly acclaimed 2026 gothic Chinese American stop-motion short film written and directed by Cami Kwan. Set in 1926, it tells the deeply personal story of a young woman grappling with the trauma and guilt of using a deceased girl’s identity to immigrate to the U.S. through Angel Island.
9:30 a.m. – Bluff City Chinese
An award-winning documentary that follows two Chinese American storytellers from different generations as they rebuild the untold history of Chinese immigrants in Memphis, Tennessee.
10:20 a.m. – She Marches in Chinatown
This film chronicles the 70-year history of the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team, the only group of its kind in the world that combines traditional Chinese opera-inspired uniforms with precision marching drills.
11 a.m. – Chinese American Merchants of Albuquerque
For more than a century, Chinese American merchants have helped shape Albuquerque’s economic and cultural landscape, building businesses, communities, and opportunities despite discrimination and exclusion. This documentary preserves the remarkable legacy of these Chinese pioneers.
12 p.m. – Lunch from Ho Lo Ma Restaurant, provided by AARP.
1 p.m. – Warren King: King of Cardboard
This acclaimed documentary short details the life and work of Chinese American sculptor Warren King, who uses discarded cardboard to reconnect with his cultural heritage and family history.
1:25 p.m. – Making Waves
A timely, thought-provoking documentary about how ethnic studies – specifically Asian American Studies – dramatically influenced and empowered a generation.
2:45 p.m. – Panel discussion
3:45 p.m. – Homecourt
The story of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy in Southern California who overcame injury as well as racial and class differences to play Division 1 Women’s Basketball at Princeton.
