Welcome to the official website of Abraham Lincoln Lim, a fiercely independent filmmaker dedicated to capturing compelling stories from a personal lived experience. Explore his portfolio, stay updated on his latest work, and join the journey from the big screen to small. With recent events the lines are now clearly drawn and the fight for freedom of speech against an overreaching system of censorship is the most important story of our time.
Abraham Lincoln Lim
The Hubbub
Short Film: DIG PSA Competition
A thought-provoking short film that delves into the emotional impact of drug addiction in Chinese families, DIG was created in the first International Workshop of Zhejiang University, sponsored by Huace Film Company. Using techniques learned when making my Sundance short film Toy, the film's dramatic and visual structure were designed so the film could be executed within the limits of the production resources. This was the key focus of my workshop curriculum, a hands on indie crash course of how to make a film that would make it to the festival circuit. DIG did just that and went on to be the only film of the university to go on and win multiple awards.
SHIFTING WINS in New York City
11/13/2023 SHIFTING premiered in KAFFNY Infinite Cinema as the closing night film. SHIFTING took home the award for best picture, given it's bold subject matter and experimental story structure- good to be back in New York.
Three years after the covid pandemic, we all can sense that there has been a traumatic shift that has shaken our belief in our systems, ourselves and each other. No matter how unpleasant, for our future to better our past, it is important to look back, dig deeper and ask questions about how we have lived and how we will live, as sons and fathers, mothers and daughters in a nation that no longer seems to serve our interests.
International Collaboration: Beyond Borders
After the passing of Robert Altman, my interest in working in Hollywood waned. I ventured out into the great unknown to expand my horizons and see what I could see. When I left I knew I would be losing all the contacts and influence that I had spent a lifetime to build, but it turned out to be a good decision. I was able to see things looking from the outside-in, and find what truly mattered in the work that I do. I entered the world of teaching, meeting students from around the world, who forced me to explain to them, and to myself, how I made creative decisions and why. Additionally, I got to participate in film production from script to distribution in Asian markets.
SHIFTING: From cinema to content UPDATE 09/24
For those of you whom I met or have taught in the past, come subscribe to my YouTube channel, and be a part of the clan. I have kept the YouTube channel open as a place for collaboration and discussion. Leave a comment so I know you're there.
Cine Ronin @alincolnlim
As a filmmaker you spend most of your time trying to create new styles and content to advance your field of vision in storytelling. As a young filmmaker the "big break" is your holy grail. You self-esteem is determined by the size of your audience, that is, unless of course you are lucky enough to be mentored by someone named Bob. Since the start, I always found time to work on projects for non-profits such as UNICEF, PBS, American Cancer Society, and independent artist working with no budgets championing worthy causes. My skillset played to these scenarios, as they are facing the same obstacles that all indie filmmakers must overcome if they want to keep producing. Sadly, in the last several years, independent films have disappeared from the market, but there are now new and better alternatives to reach an audience.