Bertha Bay-Sa Pan

Bertha Bay-Sa Pan is a Taiwanese-American director, writer and producer.

Early life and education

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.

Feature Films & Television

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. It premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival in the dramatic competition, co-written by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman, featured a score by Leonard Nelson Hubbard of The Roots and an original theme song written and performed by Naughty By Nature; other artists on the soundtrack included Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Bahamadia, Adriana Evans, Delinquent Habits, Kim Hill (soul musician) of The Black Eyed Peas, and David Tao. “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 Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award 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 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, Gwangju International Film Festival, Pune International Film Festival amongst others; and was the Opening Night Film of San Diego Asian Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, and Boston Asian American Film Festival. 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.
Her official production company "Slew Pictures" launched in 2008. and has produced feature films such as Fighting Fish.
Pan was one of 42 women directors of Ava DuVernay's groundbreaking TV series Queen Sugar, executive produced by Oprah Winfrey.

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 the short films "Sluggers" starring Hassan Johnson and Corey Parker Robinson ; Lucy in the Sky starring Zoe Margaret Colletti. Catherine Curtin, Danny Burstein, Quinn McColgan, Kelly Hu, and Whoopi Goldberg ; and segments of Wang Leehom's 3D concert film Open Fire which premiered at Toronto International Film Festival.
Pan has directed music videos for Slimkid3's of "Just Can't Hold", Chris Trapper's "Wish I Was Cool" and "Look What The Wind Blew In," and Princess Katie and Racer Steve's "Sand in My Sandwich".

Filmography

Short film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer
1997	Face
2001	Sluggers
2017	Norman Pinski Come Home
2018	Lucy in the Sky
2024	Gary Jr.

Feature film

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer
2002	Face
2010	Fighting Fish
2011	Almost Perfect
2016	Wang Leehom's Open Fire 3D Concert Film

Music Video

Year	Title	Artist
2005	Just Can't Hold On	Tre Hardson
2007	Wish I Was Cool	Chris Trapper
2010	Look What The Wind Blew In	Chris Trapper
2010	Sand in My Sandwich	Princess Katie and Racer Steve