Director and cinematographer Alice Gu has joined the talent roster at production company Good Times for commercial representation in the U.S. Known for building visual worlds through thoughtful composition, highlighting human truths about shared experiences, Gu has turned out work for brands including Apple, Beats by Dre, Microsoft, ESPN, Billabong, FIFA, NFL, Tripadvisor, IKEA x WSL, West Elm, Reef, NHL, NBA, the WSL, and humanitarian aid organization Waves for Water. Her commercial work has garnered awards from shows such as the Clios, Tellys, and Anthem Awards.
Gu’s acclaimed documentary feature debut, The Donut King, won the Special Jury Prize for Excellence in Documentary Storytelling in 2020. It also earned Best Documentary awards from the Sun Valley Film Festival, Bentonville Film Festival, and Urbanworld Film Festival, and Gu was awarded Best Emerging Director at the 43rd Asian American International Film Festival. A film about the rise and fall of a Cambodian refugee turned donut tycoon, The Donut King is executive produced by four-time Oscar nominee Ridley Scott and Academy Award winner (for the feature documentary Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision) Freida Lee Mock. Gu’s follow-up feature, Really Good Rejects, also premiered in competition at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival.
“I’m ultimately so grateful to be able to do what I do for a living, because I love the work and the people so much,” said Gu. “Witnessing the gumption and experience of the Good Times team, the quality of their work and the directors’ talent, and the way they approach running a business is all very inspiring. I’m here to keep challenging myself and excited to get started.”
“Alice has a true appreciation for the craft of filmmaking and is very intentional about how she tells people’s stories,” said Bernadette Spear, executive producer at Good Times. “She’s passionate, real, and a lot of fun. Add her immense skill and artistry, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome her to Good Times.”
A Los Angeles native, Gu began her career as a director of photography. She worked with directors Werner Herzog, Stacy Peralta, and Rory Kennedy, shooting the latter’s Sundance film Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton.
Gu’s upcoming feature film, Raised by Waves, is about a family of surfers in Hawaii. This action sports film doubles as a familial tale of love, loss, forgiveness, and redemption, teeming with self-reflection and humor. She also has a documentary releasing soon for HBO Films featuring Gloria Steinem about the origin story of Ms. Magazine. Gu is currently in postproduction on a film for IMAX and is in development on a feature project with Scott Free Productions.
Gu is a 2022 fellow of the Concordia Studios Fellowship, founded by Academy Award winner Davis Guggenheim. She is in her third year as a mentor with Unlock Her Potential, a year-long mentoring program for women of color in cinematography and direction.
