Danny Wu (born 1996)^[1] is a Canadian director and writer. He is best known for directing American: An Odyssey to 1947 which was placed on Jonathan Rosenbaum’s list for "best films of 2022."^[2]

Early life

Danny Wu was born in Chengdu, China, but immigrated to Canada with his family at the age of 7.^[3] In high school, Wu dreamed of being a professional basketball player, while he also worked as a magician.^[1] During the pandemic, Wu stayed in Chengdu with his family and created a 22-minute short program titled “My Life in China during the Pandemic.” The project was subsequently broadcast by CNN affiliate N1.^[3]

Career

Danny Wu's first film Square One was released in 2019 on Prime Video.^[4] In describing Wu's style, critic Josiah Teal for Film threat wrote that “Wu paces the documentary almost like an A24 film…the vibe of tension and release creates a mood much closer to something like The Lobster than a typical celebrity documentary.” ^[5]

American: An Odyssey to 1947 was Wu's first film to enter the film festival circuit. It features a collection of stories leading to the year 1947, most notably about the politics of Orson Welles.^[6] The film screened at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in 2023, and was placed on Jonathan Rosenbaum's list for best films of the year.^[7][8] In addition it was also screened at the Austin Film Festival, and the It's All True International Documentary Festival.^[9][10] In a review by David Walsh for WSWS, he describes that “In a short period of time, he has developed an important understanding of some of the most vexing problems of the mid-20th century.” Walsh claimed the film as evidence that “a new generation of artists, free from the cynicism and many of the prejudices of the past several decades, is emerging.”^[1]

References