This FREE program of five shorts involve various marginalized identities both in the US and abroad. A mixed program of Narrative and Documentary shorts, subjects include mixed ethnic identity, refugees, and racial profiling. Filmmakers expected in attendance. Chanthadeth Chanthadeth grew up with his Cambodian mother and no connection to his Lao father or relatives. This …
Synopsis: The gap in opportunities for different races in America remains extreme. Nowhere is this more evident than our nation"s top public schools. In New York City, where blacks and Hispanics make up 70% of the city"s school-aged population, they represent less than 5% at the city"s most elite public high schools. Meanwhile Asian Americans …
Synopsis: Beautifully shot feature that unfolds more like a drama than a documentary, Atlan tells the story of Turkman horse trainer Ali in the rural Northeastern region of Iran. Horses are an inseparable part of life in the semi-traditional environment of the Turkmen Sahara. One horse called Ilhlan is Ali"s favorite, but he must sell …
Synopsis: Singers in the Band exposes the United States Military's role in human trafficking and prostitution of women worldwide, embedding the compelling stories of at risk women and children within the complicated narrative about the sex trade and international politics. Every year hundreds of women from the Philippines respond to ads for backup singers by …
Synopsis: Paulina and Tyler visit Saipan to scout locations for their company"s newest resort. After finding what was seemingly a perfect location, they discover a hidden cave on the property. They decide to explore it, enlisting the help of Alan, their location coordinator, and his assistant Pepe. The cave turns out to be a long-time …
Back by popular demand, this year’s FREE program of Sci-Fi, Horror, and Action Genre shorts are sure to keep your spine tingling long after you leave the theater! Subjects include time travel, revenge beyond the grave, and demons of ancient folklore. Black Thread Yuji Okumoto (Karate Kid II) stars as a supernatural hitman caught between …
This FREE program includes feature film It Runs in the Family along with a showcase of three short films examining the intersectionality between AAPI and LGBTQ identity. It Runs in the Family A young gay Filipino Canadian artist, Jay Cabalu and his sister Joella travel from Vancouver to Manila to meet their other queer relatives. …
Synopsis: During Japan"s surrender at the end of World War II, numerous swords were confiscated by American officers and shipped to the States. The Japanese sword, while once a symbol of wartime aggression, is also embedded in Japan"s rich history and spiritual heritage. In order to better understand the past and build a bridge between …
Synopsis: Less than a mile from the tourist beaches of Waikiki is one of Hawaii"s largest homeless populations. This compelling documentary offers a firsthand look into the lives of Tracy Martin, his wife Tabatha, and four year-old daughter Thalia living on the streets of Kakaako, Oahu as a homeless family. Mixing archival footage, interviews, and …
Synopsis: Shot on location in Phnom Penh this challenging film documents local reactions to the Khmer Rouge genocide trials as they occurred. At the heart of this story are the Cambodian American women who broke decades of silence, abandoning the security of their American homes on a journey back to Cambodia as witnesses to the …
Synopsis: An engrossing feature documentary detailing the obstacles and successes of four up-and-coming Asian American rappers trying to break into a world that often treats them as outsiders. From battle rhymes of crowd-favorite dumbfoundead to the tongue-in-cheek songs of Awkwafina, the unapologetic visuals of Rekstizzy to conflicted values of Lyricks, the film paints a memorable …
Synopsis: Rescued from an online auction, a pile of deteriorating 16mm home movies spanning from 1936 to 1951, are restored by filmmaker Ali Kazimi. What emerges is the moving story of an unusually wealthy Chinese American family in Depression era Chicago. Kazimi"s quest to make meaning of these home movies connects him with Irena Lum …
Synopsis: The Sherpa of Nepal's high Himalaya are the men and women known for their endurance and ability to survive at oxygen-deprived altitudes. And in New York City, they're driving cabs, selling imports at street market stalls, and chopping vegetables in the kitchens of Asian restaurants. The film follows mountaineers Nima Dawa Sherpa and Kipa …
Synopsis: A hard hitting narrative feature with strong anti-misogynist undercurrents, Under Construction is a film about a modern Muslim woman struggling to find herself in the sprawl of urban Bangladesh. A feminist awakening occurs in middle class actress Roya as she reconstructs a famous and politically minded play of Rabindranath Tagore for modern times, reclaiming …
Synopsis: Tyrus tells the unlikely story of 105-year old Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, how he overcame poverty and racism to become a celebrated modernist painter, Hollywood sketch artist, and "Disney Legend" for his groundbreaking work on the animated film, Bambi. Guangzhou-born, LA-based the film examines Tyrus" breathtaking scope of work across multiple artistic mediums …
Join host Chef Ed Kenney as he travels the path of ancestors, from Hawaii to the homeland in this six-episode TV documentary food genealogy travel show that explores the links between ethnic heritage and culinary arts. The first episode follows host Ed Kenney around his native Oahu in an extensive look at the food that …
Synopsis: Set in urban Tehran, this uncertainty-inducing film offers a surrealist reflection on contemporary Iranian culture. Two girlfriends, Arineh and Nobahar try to make their way home after a night of partying. After getting in an accident, a mysterious stranger pays off the driver of the car they hit; his only request their company. They …
Synopsis: 10 years after immigrating from Japan where traditionally, carvings of Buddha were made from a single piece of wood, Eiko Fan's wood sculpture reached a turning point. Eiko"s style evolved from this tradition to include flexible, inventive use of wood and body movements of mime and dance, encased in wooden costumes. Eiko then created …
Collaborative Cataloging Japan is pleased to present works by two pioneering female Japanese video artists. Mako Idemitsu and Shigeko Kubota share common grounds as artists who relocated to the U.S. in the 1960s' Idemitsu to California, and Kubota to New York. The 70-minute screening program is followed by discussions with Dr. Midori Yoshimoto, Associate Professor …
Synopsis: A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, window dressers and others especially to display or fit clothing. This film is the narrative of creation and existence of some mannequins. Although they are created equally, omnipotent fate prevents the equal denouement.So to an extent this film is perhaps the tale …
