Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

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Public Statement on former SAG-AFTRA Local Board Member John Mitchell

Press Release, Uncategorized /

On January 25, 2021, a board member for SAG-AFTRA Philadelphia Local John Mitchell posted a highly offensive meme depicting President Biden with an exaggerated bucktoothed grin, cartoonish slit eyes, and a Fu Manchu moustache against the backdrop of a People’s Republic of China flag. The text read “Introducing Our 46th President, Sum Dum Fuk.” Racist tropes like those in Mitchell’s post are strong contributors to the recent surge of violent anti-Asian hate crimes and tothe current climate of xenophobic and anti-immigrant hate. Local Asian American leaders like Nydia Han, Denise Nakano, and Trang Do have publicly spoken out on social media about the racist post, calling for the removal of John Mitchell from the SAG-AFTRA board. The Philadelphia Inquirer covered this story on February 17, 2021. PAAFF Festival Director, Selena Yip and members of the PAAFF Board felt that it was important to make a statement on the matter since so many in our community are members of the SAG-AFTRA Philadelphia union and are greatly affected by this incident. You can read the full statement here.   Although John Mitchell has been removed, and Chinese American community member Lyman Chen has been appointed as the newest member of the board, this is only a first step. We are calling for the board hold themselves accountable by hiring professionals to educate, train, and guide the organization in adopting anti-racist and decolonized practices and procedures. We are calling for the board to reexamine their vetting procedures to ensure that future board members will adequately uphold these values professionally and personally. SAG-AFTRA must use their platform to positively impact the discourse on equitable representation in the film and television industries.

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PAAFF Parties!

News, Party, Uncategorized /

  In celebration of our 10th Anniversary, PAAFF will be throwing a very special After Party Saturday 11/18 at La Peg Braserie. The party will feature two well known names from Philadelphia’s dance music scene: P@KEO (Pat Keo) of WhiteRice and ILY (Will Hoover) of Left Rite. PAAFF caught up with the djs to find out more about the men, their music, and what they have in store for us tonight. Pat “P@KEO” Keo started djing in 1999 when he was living in the Washington DC area. After a brief hiatus, he began pursuing music again around 2015. In 2016 Pat teamed up with fellow dj Bruce Petaccio to form WhiteRice—a due known for Flaunt, a monthly party that showcases some of Philly’s best techno and house producers and djs. Pat describes his style of dance music as “deep soulful house” and cites both 90’s jackin’ house and UK garage (2-step) as two other regional house styles that are often present in his sets. When I asked him if he had any musical influences that might surprise people, he mentioned that R&B, Hip-Hop, and Soul Music been mainstays in his track selection from the very beginning. When asked, “What is your dream venue?” not surprisingly, he said he’d love to play the Smart Bar in Chicago, adding, “The energy there is something else!”   “A lot of the djs and promoters in the scene regularly mingle at each other’s parties and support each other.” Like Pat, Will “ILY” Hoover is another longtime dj. Citing, deep Pennsylvania roots, Will noted that he grew up in central PA where “there wasn’t too much going on at the time,” As a result, Will started his music career both organizing and playing parties. When I asked him how those days compare to Philadelphia now, he had nothing but praise for the Philly dance music scene: “A lot of the djs and promoters in the scene regularly mingle at each other’s parties and support each other. People frequently cooperate on events too, which helps everyone to throw really great parties and maintain such a wonderfully diverse and vibrant scene.” In fact, Will is part of an electronic music collective in Philly called Left Rite that throws parties featuring house and techno djs every 1st Friday at Irish Pol in Old City and every 3rd Friday at Kung Fu Necktie in Northern Liberties. I’ve often attended parties where djs will disappear to chill between sets, so I couldn’t help but ask both Will and Pat if they like to dance. Will answered with an enthusiastic, “I love dancing!” Pat not only expressed the same sentiment, but he also offered up a fun fact: “I used to dance semi-professionally while living in DC. Dance culture is what actually introduced me to the underground dance music scene.” Le Peg Brasserie is known for its dramatic views, meticulously sourced menu, and extensive craft beer selection. And PAAFF is thrilled that they will be hosting our party.

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photo of Eddie Traffic

Philadelphia Premiere of Truckin’

Documentary, Environment, Local Philly, News, Uncategorized, Women /

  Just a few days shy of Christmas 2013, the back gate on a truck bound for a slaughterhouse flew open. A young pig leapt off the truck, only to land on Interstate 80 in New Jersey. Due to the quick thinking of truck driver Paul “Ed” Waller, who witnessed the event, the pig survived both the fall and the traffic. Through a fortuitous series of events and a touch of Christmas magic, the young pig—now known by the name “Eddie Traffic”—ended up at Indraloka Farm Sanctuary in Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, where he will spend the rest of his days. Established in 2005, Indraloka Farm Sanctuary houses nearly 200 animal residents that include cows, chickens, turkeys, and, of course, pigs. Sanctuary founder Lahiri has a lifelong history of rescuing and nursing animals in need. In addition to managing the sanctuary (which is named after the Hindu god Indra), engaging in educational outreach, and cofounding a network for sanctuary owners called Global Coalition of Farm Sanctuaries, Lahiri maintains a blog about the Indraloka’s many residents. Eddie’s story, like many others, is written in vivid first person. In it, Lahiri imagines what might have motivated the young pig’s “leap of faith”: Operation 303: Freedom Awaits. Due to the dramatic nature of Eddie’s escape and the feel-good end to his journey, local news was quick to pick up the story. Photographer Joel Anderson has since created a limited edition portrait of the local celebrity. And this past year, filmmaker and Indraloka Creative Director Johnny Braz released a feature-length documentary about the celebrity pig called Truckin’,The Story of Eddie Traffic. When asked why he chose Eddie’s story, he noted, “Being a filmmaker I see everything as a potential film idea. But his story was so perfect.” The film, which Lahiri and Braz premiered at the 2015 Farm Animal Rights Movement National Conference, was well received. Although Braz feels that the true test lies in how Truckin’ will appeal to a more mainstream audience, he already has a sequel in mind: Truckin’ Part 2 will focus on a group of chickens that fell off a speeding truck near the sanctuary. Truckin’: The Story of Eddie Traffic Sunday April 3 1 pm The Rotunda 4014 Walnut St Philadelphia, PA 19104 Truckin’ The Eddie Traffic Story premieres in Philadelphia this Sunday at The Rotunda. The screening is hosted by the AnimalACTivists of Philly and is free and open to to the public. The film will be followed by a Q&A with film director Johnny Braz. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Find Out More

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