Cambodian Futures is a densely layered exploration of Cambodian cuisine, historical trauma, and an intergenerational family bond. Filmmaker Dustin Nakao-Haider follows Chicago-based chef Ethan Lim as he creates vibrant dishes inspired by the rich, complex history of Cambodia. Drawing on his family’s culinary legacy of over half a century, Lim’s award-winning cooking imagines how Cambodian cuisine might have evolved had the civil war not paused its growth. This is Culinary Futurism. This film was produced from a Firelight Media/PBS American Masters grant for the second season of their series ‘In the Making’.

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Director - Dustin Nakao-Haider

Dustin is a two time Emmy-nominated filmmaker from Chicago. His feature length debut, Shot in the Dark, was supported by the Sundance Institute, Film Independent, ESPN Films, EFILM/Company 3, premiered on FOX, and was a New York Times Critics’ Pick. He has produced multiple seasons of docuseries on Netflix, ESPN+, and TNT. His short documentaries on Jay Z, Robinson Cano, Kendrick Lamar and others have garnered millions of views online. Most recently he co-wrote Pali, a play produced on the Stanford University main stage adapted from Indian writer Bhisham Sahni’s short story. His newest short on Chicago chef Ethan Lim, Cambodian Futures, will premiere next spring as part of the PBS series In the Making. Dustin is a co-founder of the production collective Bogie.