Skip to content
MovieCove
Bao Nguyen

Bao Nguyen

Director, cinematographer and producer · Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Primetime Emmy nominee · 2 other major award bodies

Bao Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American documentary film director, cinematographer and producer. He is best known for his work on the documentary films Julian, Live from New York!, Be Water, and The Greatest Night in Pop.

Biography from TMDB.

From
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
Works as
Director, cinematographer and producer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 43 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 14% in 30 days

What are Bao Nguyen's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Society
32%
Self
21%
Survival
14%
Morality
10%
Power
10%
Ideas
9%
Bonds
7%
Community5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 8 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 4 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 6 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Contemplative
6
Hopeful
5
Warm
4
Joyful
4
Tense
4
Other
7

How their films linger

Hopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet2
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Bao Nguyen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 7 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (3).

Subscription and free streaming for Bao Nguyen's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

43 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Code for the People (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director

  • The Dream is a Snail (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Producer

  • BTS: The Return(2026)

    Director · Cinematographer · Producer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo(2025)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Four Letters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Director

  • The Greatest Night in Pop(2024)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • AAPI Heritage Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director

  • Maika(2022)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Open Secrets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Take Out(2022)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director · Writer

  • See Us Unite for Change (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Producer

  • Rom(2019)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Be Water(2020)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Where Are You Really From? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Writer

  • We Gon' Be Alright (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Producer

  • Broken Harmony: China's Dissidents (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Cinematographer

  • Grit(2018)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Future of Social Security (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • The Poll Dance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Director

  • Welcome to the Idea Economy Ft. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Cinematographer

  • Black Market: Dispatches(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows (provisional, few ratings)

  • Employed Identity (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Rhino Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director

  • Live from New York!(2015)

    Director · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • 2030 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer · Producer

  • Memory/Loss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Monk by Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer · Producer

  • Where Heaven Meets Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer · Producer

  • Mr. Cao Goes to Washington (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Cinematographer

  • Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Cinematographer

  • Half the Sky (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 2 episodes · Cinematographer

  • Once in a Lullaby: PS 22 Chorus Documentary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Cinematographer · Producer

  • Why Am I Still Alive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Cinematographer

  • Julian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer

  • Killer Tranny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Cinematographer

  • Saigon Electric (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Cinematographer

  • A Tree Falls in the Forest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • It's a lonely life - Lillian Schwartz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Cinematographer

  • 30 for 30(2009)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Motoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director · Cinematographer · Editor · Producer

  • Jimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • PictureHouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

Career shape

A full career of 43 titles, 41 of them dated from 2009 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Rom (2019)

$2.5M worldwide

Highest rated

The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)

Midcredits 98th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing22 of 43: 14 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score90thWriting3 of 43: 0 only writing, 3 with another roleProducing14 of 43: 5 only producing, 9 with another roleCinematography20 of 43: 12 only cinematography, 8 with another roleEditing3 of 43: 0 only editing, 3 with another role

43 titles, 12 with more than one role — directing and cinematography overlap on 4 of them.

By decade

2000s2 · crew2010s25 · crew2020s14 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

3 major nominations and no wins, 2020–2025.

  1. 2025
    • Grammy Award, nominated · Best Music Film
  2. 2024
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program
  3. 2020
    • Sundance award, nominated · Documentary

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Bao Nguyen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 81st percentile, the median of all 8; across their 8 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Approval · how many liked their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Reach · how many have seen their films

73rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 8

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th1

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 11 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · cinematographer

Grit (2018)

80th percentile spread · 16% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)

Midcredits 98th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 72/100 and the pacing 56/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Bao Nguyen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Bao Nguyen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Caleb Heller shares the most, 4.

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers