Masami Kawai is a Los Angeles-born filmmaker who lives in Oregon. She’s of Ryukyuan descent from the island of Amami. Kawai participated in Film Independent’s Project Involve, and her work has screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival, LACMA, and various venues. Her film “Tides” won Best Narrative Short at both the Northwest Film Forum and the Eastern Oregon Film Festivals. Her film “Zona” won Best Narrative Short at the Los Angeles Asian American Pacific Film Festival.

She is currently an Assistant Professor of Filmmaking at the University of Oregon. She received her MFA in Directing from UCLA’s school of film.