Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
This block of four Sci-Fi genre narrative shorts explores a variety of not-so-distant futures dictated by technology and varying degrees of dystopia. Filmmakers expected in attendance for post-film Q&A Frenchies Director: Kuan-Fu Lin | 13 mins | USA After strange new neighbors move into his building, fear of the unknown makes a man start to suspect the worst of them. The Lie Game Director: Jyothi Kalyan Sura | 14 mins | USA After losing her boyfriend to depression, a computer scientist creates and anti-depression AI application and looks for funding to complete it. Following a string of failed interviews, she enters her final interview which turns into a bizarre challenge of lie detection. andLIFE Director: Jean Goto | 11 mins | USA Set in the near future when climate change has taken its irreversible toll on Earth, a dying man and his partner contemplate their past. Shabu Director: Kiersten Villanueva | 10 mins | USA Several years after America has placed a “kill-all” order on anyone suspected of dealing in the drug trade, a photojournalist discovers the corrupt nature of the world she lives in.
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
The 2008 PAAFF Film Industry Panel will focus on practical advice to aspiring actors and filmmakers seeking to break into the film business, with particular emphasis on the challenges facing Asian American actors and filmmakers. Michael Wingate Jones, Esq. Panel moderator, actor/filmmaker/attorney Anula Shetty Award-winning filmmaker and community teaching artist at Temple University, University of the Arts, Asian Arts Initiative, and Scribe Video Center. Benson Lee Director/producer of documentary feature, "Planet B-Boy" and nominated for grand jury prize at Sundance 1998 for narrative feature, "Miss Monday." Jason Loftus, C.S.A. SAG actor (The Sopranos), member of prestigious Casting Society of America (Heery Casting), and producer of upcoming independent feature film, "The Storyteller." Jeffrey D. Erb Executive producer and distributor of numerous feature films such as Tooth and Nail, The Speed of Life, Southern Gothic, and Just Add Water, CEO of Feverpitch Pictures and principal in Norristown Studios at Studio Centre Norristown (film studio in development). Lyman Chen Delaware Valley first generation Chinese-American SAG actor with speaking roles in The Departed, The Happening, and Tenure.</p?
Moderated by: Loraine Ballard Morrill (Clear Channel Radio) PAAFF is excited to present a free special event with Greg Pak, award-winning director of "Robot Stories" and writer of acclaimed Marvel Comics storylines such as "Planet Hulk," "World War Hulk," "Incredible Hercules" (with Fred Van Lente), and "Mageneto Testament." Greg's latest short film, "Mr. Green" starring Tim Kang (The Mentalist) is an Official Selection at PAAFF '10. Greg will be in attendance for life Q&A and will also be receiving the 2010 PAAFF Emerging Voice Award. For the latest about Greg's work, visit www.gregpak.com and twitter.com/gregpak
International House Philadelphia
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival & Filmmakers presents a lively discussion of issues of Asian American cultural identity to lead into Opening Night 2010. This free special event uses a special screening of the HBO produced mini-documentary, "East of Main Street: Asians Aloud" as the point of departure for an informed discussion. EOMS:AA Examines the rich, broad, and unique experiences of the Asian American journey by collecting the diverse perspectives of 14 informative and entertaining individuals. Join our panel of distinguished members of the local Asian American community discussing what it means to be Asian American in America. Moderated by: Nydia Han - Action News 6 ABC reporter Nina Ahmad Chairperson, Mayor's Commission on Asian American Affairs Brad Baldia PAAFF Founding Member and Nat'l President, National Association of American Professionals Allen Chou President, Passion River Films Sebastian Ho Conley Emmy winner and writer/director of "Collin Hearts Kay" Susan Jin Davis Comcast VP Strategic Partnerships, Communications & Data Services Chi-hui Yang Film Programmer/Former Director, SF Int'l As Am. Film Festival Community Partner: The Greater Philadelphia Film Office
Film screening accompanied by a live performance by local musical artist Jason Min! Directors:Howie Shia, Lillian Chan, Serena Lee, Heather Keung, Lesley Loski Chan, Aram Siu Wai Collier, Joyce Wong Program Director:Aram Siu Wai Collier Musical Director:Arthur Yeung A group of artistically diverse, award-winning Chinese Canadian filmmakers were presented with a challenge: answer the question, "What is your Chinatown?" on film. The result is a collaboratively produced, multi-genre cinematic vision of Chinatown, where anything is possible and the unexpected is just the tip of the iceberg!Panel discussion will follow.
International House Philadelphia
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
As Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers looks back back after 5 years, we present a lively discussion that will examine the advances Asian American filmmakers and actors have made in the industry in recent years. Our diverse panel will discuss their struggles and successes as they strive to make an impact in Hollywood. BD Wong will be honored with an award for his contributions as an actor! Moderated by: Richard Liu - MSNBC anchor Parry Shen Actor, Yes, We're Open Sarovar Banka Director, A Decent Arrangement Theresa Navarro Producer, Yes, We're Open Booboo Stewart Actor, White Frog BD Wong Actor, White Frog
International House Philadelphia
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Join PAAFF for the Opening Night Film & Reception celebrating the beginning of the 2016 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. Synopsis: Danny Pudi (NBC's Community) stars as Sami Malik, a young Indian man who immigrates to 1970s Chicago to become an engineer at a top firm. When his job falls through, he resorts to an elaborate charade with a band of misfit friends to convince his would-be father-in-law that he has made it big in America, woo the woman of his dreams, and live up to the legacy of his father - a legendary tiger hunter. Powerfully told through Pudi"s breakout leading man performance, The Tiger Hunter is a funny yet poignant reflection on the experiences of many first generation South Asian immigrants in the United States. Director Lena Khan and lead actor Danny Pudi are expected to attend for post-film Q&A. Film will be followed by the PAAFF'16 Opening Night Reception featuring Bhangra dance music spun by prolific NY-based DJ Rekha, a selection of Indian food, and complimentary wine and beer. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 short doc explores his bicultural identity and the meaning of his name, ultimately learning the importance of acknowledging both sides of his cultural heritage. The Three Tales of a Coin A coin recounts its life story, changing hands between a diverse group of Singaporeans in three pivotal transactions. The Lookout This short documentary examines the treacherous boat ride across the Aegean Sea, just one of many hardships endured by Syrian refugees, through the eyes of an altruistic Israeli volunteer hoping to do what he can to ease their suffering. The FBI Blew Up My Ice Skates This animated short recounts the titular incident that happened to the director in the wake of the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis. Red, White, and Beard Cartoonist Vishavjit Singh has a unique way of fighting intolerance in the post-9/11 US - walking the streets of New York City dressed as Captain Sikh America. This short doc poses a simple question - why can’t Captain America wear a turban? Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 make up as much as 73%. This documentary follows a dozen racially and socio-economically diverse 8th graders as they fight for a seat at one of these schools. Their only way in: to ace a single standardized test. Tested includes the voices of such education experts as Pedro Noguera and Diane Ravitch as it explores such issues as access to a high-quality public education, affirmative action, and the model-minority myth. Directed by Curtis Chin, who is best known for his seminal film Vincent Who? about the killing of Vincent Chin, this feature doc offers an extensive look at the systemic inequalities facing students of color in NYC public schools. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 Ilhlan in order to pay for his wedding. The diary-like narrative is presented via Ali"s voice-over and accompanied by beautiful, broad vistas of the inhospitable Turkmen landscape, impressions of the well-attended races, and images of powerful horses. A slice of life film that depicts a subject few outside the region have laid eyes on, this film embodies an exciting new movement within Iranian cinema. Part of the New Directions in Iranian Cinema Showcase. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 South Korean talent agencies. After arriving in Korea their passports are seized and they are coerced into work in brothels whose primary clientele are American servicemen. This documentary is the first to show how US Military bases, global sex trafficking, and prostitution are inextricably linked, revealing that military culture itself is complicit in supporting the creation, maintenance and vitality of the sex trade. Oscar-winning filmmaker and Philadelphia-native David Goodman, who shot much of this film using hidden cameras inside the brothels and on the streets of South Korea's red light districts, is expected in attendance for post-film Q&A. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 abandoned Japanese military base. It dates back to WW2, and unbeknownst to them, existed much earlier. As they move forward, they encounter several dried up corpses, but they are undaunted; their curiosity outweighing their fear... but not for long. With Doug Jones (Pan"s Labrynth, Hellboy) as the creature actor, this is a strong debut feature film from scupltor and costume designer Hiroshi Katagiri (The Hunger Games, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Looper). Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 his desire for revenge and damning himself to a hell of eternal suffering. Time Capsule As an astronaut barrels towards Earth on a crash landing she’s certain not to survive, she makes a final call to her mother and finds herself in a most unexpected conversation. The Sweetening A lonely woman takes part in the beta testing of an augmented reality program and falls for a man she meets in a florist shop. Desperate to find out if he’s a real person or just an avatar, her obsession with the program leads to the destruction of her life as she knows it. Wan Mei (Perfect) When a man realizes his girlfriend has been unfaithful to him, he resorts to revenge... and the love of a mannequin. Kumiho A young man on a light jog through the woods is disrupted when an alluring woman runs past and coaxes him to a cabin. By the time he realizes that the woman is more than what she appears - it’s too late! Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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. Reconciling issues of faith, sexuality, and family relationships; viewers are invited to accompany Jay on this personal journey as he reflects on his struggle with being gay and Roman Catholic. It Runs in the Family is an intimate exploration on acceptance and what the modern queer family can aspire to in the Filipino diaspora. Screened with program of LGBTQ themed short films. Gaysians Five queer and trans Asian-Americans from New York City explore their relationships with their family and culture in this patchwork documentary. The subjects share stories about their families, and in doing so, shed light on the com- plicated histories that have shaped these intimate and personal relationships. Arranged Two 20 something Indian Americans meet under family pressures to get an arranged marriage they don’t want but realize that actually going through it might be their best option. One is gay and the other wishes to pursue her own restaurant business. Nuoc An experimental narrative short film about a queer Vietnamese American teen who attempts to piece together and understand her mom’s experience as a Vietnam War refugee. Facebook Event Page
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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 cultures in the present, the American grandson of a US naval officer attempts to return one of these surrendered swords to the Japanese descendants of its original owner. A thoughtful reflection on the intergenerational legacy of war, and how current generations can be involved in ongoing reconciliations from past conflicts. Director Brad Bennett and other members of the crew expected in attendance for post-film Q&A. Facebook Event Page
