Biography

Chinese American writer/director Eric Byler grew up in California, Virginia, and Hawaii before graduating from Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Eric was nominated for a 2003 Independent Spirit Award for his debut feature film Charlotte Sometimes (2002), which also earned nominations for producer Marc Ambrose and actress Jacqueline Kim. Eric's second feature Americanese (2006) was acquired for theatrical release (fall 2007) by IFC Films and won both the Audience Award and the Special Jury Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2006. He directed the short film, My Life... Disoriented (2006), which aired on PBS stations around the country in late 2006 and early 2007. His latest feature film is the "Charlotte Sometimes" sequel Tre (2006), winner of the Special Jury Award at the 2007 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.

Eric has been invited to speak at colleges and universities around the United States, and is known for grassroots activism and YouTube documentaries he created during the 2006 Virginia Senate race on behalf of Senator Jim Webb and Virginia's Asian/Pacific American community.

"Charlotte Sometimes" Awards and Nominations: 2003 Independent Spirit Award nominations: "The John Cassavetes Award," "Best Supporting Actress" Jacqueline Kim Won: "Audience Award for First Films Narrative" at the South by Southwest Film Festival, Won: "Special Jury Award for Narrative Filmmaking" at the Florida Film Festival, and "Best Dramatic Feature" at the San Diego Asian Film Festival.

"Americanese" Awards and Nominations: Won: "Audience Award, Narrative Feature Competition" at the South by Southwest Film Festival Won: "Special Jury Award for Oustanding Ensemble Cast" at the South by Southwest Film Festival Nominated: "Best Actor" Chris Tashima at the Seattle International Film Festival

"Tre" Awards and Nominations Won: Special Jury Award at the San Francisco Int'l Asian American Film Festival Nominated: Best Actress (Kimberly-Rose Wolter) at MethodFest

Kenji's Faith (1994) Awards and Nominations: Student Academy Award nomination for Best Experimental Film. Won: "Best Amateur Entry" at the Canadian International Annual Film Festival, "Best Scenario" at the Canadian International Annual Film Festival, "Gold Plaque Award" at the Chicago International Film Festival, "Judges Award" at the New Orleans International Film Festival, "Director's Choice Award" at the Black Maria Film Festival, "Best of Festival" at the Montreal Underground Film Festival, "Certificate of Regional Achievement" from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- IMDb mini biography by: Kenjisfilmworks