The program, presented in celebration of Asian Heritage Month, is a co-production with ExplorASIAN, a month-long celebration of Asian and Asian-Canadian arts and culture in the Lower Mainland.

The Filmmakers Showcase is broadcast on Shaw Multicultural Channel (Cable 119) on Sunday, May 9 at 9 p.m. and midnight, and on Shaw TV (Cable 4) on Sunday, May 23 at 9 p.m.

It's a showcase of short films by local filmmakers that explore, portray or celebrate the Asian-Canadian experience.

Lu, who also works part-time as a family doctor, collaborated with local filmmaker Jonas Salzberg to write, produce and direct one of the showcased films, Baby Donut.

Salzberg, a graduate of both BCIT and Simon Fraser University, has worked on shows such as The Week The Women Went (CBC) and was part of the NBC broadcast team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Baby Donut is a coming-of-age story that explores the struggle of how to find one's identity.

It tells the story of Jeremy, a young English as a second language teacher, and the sexy Japanese exchange student Kumiko.

"As we grow up, we face constant pressure to be what others and society want us to be," Lu said in a press release.

"We are bombarded by expectations from friends, families, lovers and even strangers, and we find ourselves going to incredible lengths to cope with or escape these pressures."

In the film, she said, Jeremy and Kumiko are both trapped in their own ways, "and how they deal with their challenges is unique, funny, sad, sweet and, ultimately, very real."

Baby Donut is Lu's third project for the Filmmakers Showcase.

Last year, she starred in A Table for One, a short drama about coping with depression.

In 2008, she was the lead in Food for the Gods, a futuristic sci-fi/romance that has since screened at festivals across North America.

For more about Lu, see her website at www.yvettelu.com.

© Burnaby Now 2010

Behind the lens: Jonas Salzberg, a BCIT and SFU grad, co-wrote, directed and produced the short film Baby Donut.

Photo contributed/BURNABY NOW