screenwriter | scholar | rebel buddhist
Elaine Lai 賴靜誼
Happy New Year 新年快樂
Short Film, 2022
Duration: 14 mins
A Taiwanese American Buddhist woman commits to five random acts of kindness to close out the year, but her day is disrupted when she suddenly becomes a target of anti-Asian violence.
Written & Co-directed by: Elaine Lai
Co-Director: AnQi Yu
Happy New Year 新年快樂 Trailer (Edited by: Aftab Hafeez, Music by: Cahron Cross)
Blue Lotus
Audio Play, 2021
Duration: 3h 12mins
Story of enlightenment in female form that challenges the conventional narrative associated with the Buddha.
Written & Co-directed by: Elaine Lai
Co-director & Sound Design by: Cahron Cross
Art by: Nina Macintosh
Neighbors 鄰居
Audio Play, 2021
Duration: 2h 10mins
Three intertwining stories of queer Asian/Asian Americans who don’t fit into the dominant story of “America” or in the Chinese-American community.
Written & Co-directed by: Elaine Lai
Co-director & Sound Design by: Cahron Cross
Birthday Visit 生日探访
Short Film, 2010
Duration: 20 mins
A Father visits his daughter in Beijing to celebrate her birthday two months too late.
Written and Directed by: Elaine Lai
Made with the help of the Bejing Film Academy
I Love My Bunny
An Illustrated Ebook For Adults and Kids about embracing physical and neuro-diversity (2023).
Hop into a world of love and cuteness with I Love My Bunny a fun and delightful children's book written and created by Aftab Hafeez and Elaine Lai, illustrated with the help of AI.
Kids and adults alike will love reading about Bunny #1 and Bunny #2's unique and quirky hobbies—from the mundane to the spiritual, and their strong loving bond. With a message of acceptance and diversity, I Love My Bunny pushes against various forms of ableism, inspiring both kids and adults to embrace their weirdness, and to love each other for who they are. With vibrant, colorful illustrations and easy-to-read text, this book is perfect for young children just learning to read, and also for adults who want to reconnect with their childhood selves. This love story is perfect for children ages 3-8 and makes for a great bedtime story or a sweet addition to your child's library.
Pages: 33
Available on Amazon Kindle