Tristen Pon and Dellin Zhang are Chinese-American filmmakers who share a passion for representative storytelling. They met and became close friends during Emerson’s Screenwriters Lab in Greece, and both recently graduated from Emerson College with B.A.’s in Visual Media Arts.

Inspired by the individual yet universal struggle with self-acceptance, Tristen and Dellin co-directed A Better Man, a short film which explores toxic masculinity and coming of age through an Asian American lens.

With a commitment to authentic storytelling, Tristen and Dellin infuse their work with cultural nuances. In collaboration, they hope to make a significant impact through creating space for marginalized voices, fostering empathy towards others, and reshaping understanding of the Asian American culture.

Director Statement

Through an Asian American lens, A Better Man explores the journey of misguided masculinity, the transformative power of mentorship, and the profound experience of self-acceptance.

In today’s world where influential figures propagate harmful ideas about what it means to “be a man,” we believe it is essential to push alternative narratives. A Better Man challenges the “alpha male” archetype and demonstrates that being a better man can look differently. The world just may be a kinder place with a truer understanding of masculinity.