THE DONUT KING

Immediately after the feature, ticket holders can enjoy a pre-recorded bonus Q&A with director Alice Gu!

Special Jury Prize (documentary feature), 2020 SXSW Film Festival
Grand Jury Prize (documentary feature), 2020 Bentonville Film Festival

Twitter will divide along foodie fault lines, but there are few things that remain as enduring and universally loved as the donut. Behind the quintessentially American pastry is the story of Cambodian American resilience, entrepreneurship, and networks. A delectable feature debut by director Alice Gu, THE DONUT KING introduces audiences to Ted Ngoy, the man behind the pink box, who is almost single-handedly responsible for the fact that nearly 80% of donut shops in the Los Angeles area are owned by Cambodian Americans.

“Uncle Ted,” as he’s affectionately known, arrived in the US in 1975 as a refugee, and within 10 years, his chain of donut shops burgeoned into a multi-million dollar empire that locked Dunkin Donuts out of the West Coast market for decades. As business boomed, Uncle Ted sponsored over a hundred Cambodian families to resettle in California and trained many of them to replicate his business model across the state.

Following along as the future generation revitalizes the mom-and-pop shop, bringing ingenuity and hustle full circle, THE DONUT KING gives visibility to immigrant tales and reminds us that refugees have fed and sweetened America for generations and will continue to do so for years to come.

–Malou Amparo Robas

Co-Presented by: NAAAP San Diego, Asian Business Association of San Diego

Preceded By

Felt Love

Directed by Angeline Vu, Arlene Bongco

With a mix of animation technique, a heartfelt portrait of mutual love between a kid who feels invisible when a mom works all night as a seamstress.