Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Synopsis: Dishonorably discharged from the Army for his role in Iraqi prisoner torture, Jun Lee struggles to feed his family. When his former commanding officer offers him a mercenary job Jun thinks he"s finally found a way out. But when a simple kidnapping job takes a sudden dark turn, Jun has an acute attack of conscience and frees the prisoner. With mercenaries on their tail Jun turns to his survivalist Aunt and Uncle for help - and soon the motley crew must make their last stand against heavily armed professionals. While fairly lighthearted in nature, The Last Tour offers critical insight into the issues returning soldiers face as they navigate reentry to society. Director/Lead Actor Ryun Yu expected in attendance for post-film Q&A with members of the cast and crew. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Synopsis: Schafer Jones was a promising comedian on the rise, until a seemingly random heckler incites an onstage meltdown, captured for all the world to see. Using the meltdown as an excuse to encourage Schafer to take risks on stage, his manager and best friend Jeff begins shooting a documentary on Schafer"s comeback. The film makes a hard tonal switch from mockumentary to horror when Schafer is abducted. The reason for his captivity? To make him a better comedian. Schafer only has four chances to make his captor laugh, or the people he loves will start to die. A unique take on the horror genre with genuine reflection on the dark side of the stand-up comedy circuit. Writer/Director Raymond C. Lai, Writer Koji Steven Sakai, and Lead Actor Dwayne Perkins expected in attendance for post-film Q&A. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
2016 featured the pilot version of PAAFF's Youth Media Workshop, made possible through an exciting collaboration with PhillyCAM, Philadelphia's public access television station. Spanning July 18-22, 2016 our week-long intensive workshop used a similar format to Center for Asian American Media's Muslim Youth Voices Project, encouraging youth ages 12-18 to tell stories from their own unique perspectives. Providing an even balance of media literacy education and practical production tutorial, the end product of this summer workshop is a series of five short films, which will be premiered here at PAAFF'16. Free to the participants, we hope to expand this program to more AAPI youth and perhaps other immigrant communities in a future iteration. After the screening, youth filmmakers will have a chance to participate in a Q&A, along with Program Facilitator Ariel Taylor. Films shown will include works by: Gallant Abidinm, Joshua Hite, Justin Lee, Darlene Leohansson, George Wu, Jenny Wu Visit phillycam.org for more details. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Each of the films in this FREE program of shorts involves food culture, preparation, or appreciation. Filmmakers expected in attendance for post-screening Q&A. Destination Philadelphia: An Immigrant's Journey An intimate portrait of Philadelphia-based chef/owner of critically acclaimed Xi’an Sizzling Woks. The Last Tip During the course of his meal, a loyal patron reminisces into his past memories at his favorite restaurant one last time. The Roots of 'Ulu ‘Ulu, or breadfruit, grows on trees that last for decades and require relatively little water or nutrients. This short doc traces the history of ‘Ulu in ancient Hawaiian cuisine and resurgence in popularity by a new generation of Hawaiians. Sameer and the Giant Samosa A dark comedy about a newlywed Indian couple and their diverging views on marriage and tradition. A surreal turn of events reveals the groom’s true, hidden appetites.From China to LA, Shanxi-born chef Jeffrey Zhifeng Yang continues one of the world’s most fabled culinary traditions - the art of noodles. Mamori Every summer Ben’s grandmother picks, stews and cans tomatoes at Matsumura Farms in Esparto, CA. A short doc of earnest life lessons passed from one generation to the next. Doubles with Slight Pepper An Indo-Carribean chef struggles to support himself by selling doubles, Trinidad’s quintessential street food. When his estranged father returns, he must decide whether to save his life. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Synopsis: Inspired by true events, this film chronicles the struggles of a bereaved father searching for answers to explain the untimely demise of his adult son. Enlisting the services of a private detective to investigate the case, they discover that the son"s death was caused by reaction to an over the counter health supplement. In spite of his grief, he vows to bring the multi-billion dollar health supplement company responsible to justice. Examining the broken system of unregulated health supplement industry in US, The Last Smile also deals with subject of greed and corruption prevalent in our society. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Synopsis: Two fathers and their families battle against a potentially life-threatening disease impacting the Asian American community. Both contracted hepatitis B (hep B) at birthHep B, caused by the hepatitis B virus, can result in serious liver problems before symptoms become noticeable and is frequently referred to as a "silent killer." Up to two million people are infected in the US, and as many as two out of three Asian Americans living with it aren't aware they have it. Often stigmatized and misunderstood, hep B is the most common cause of liver cancer among Asian Americans. Through the lives of Alan and AJ, witness how two families cope with the impact of this potentially life-threatening virus. Screening with Caregiving: A Circle of Love a short doc by AARP about caregiving in the Chinese American community from the perspective of the three family caregivers, including MSNBC News Anchor Richard Lui. Facebook Event Page
Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Join Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers for our Closing Night Film and Reception celebrating the grand finale of our 2016 festival! Synopsis: Mele Murals is a compelling feature documentary about a young generation of Native Hawaiians who are reclaiming their indigenous culture through the transformative power of graffiti art. At the center of the story are two renowned street artists - Estria Miyashiro (aka Estria) and John Hina (aka Prime) - a group of Native Hawaiian youth, and the rural community of Waimea. Set against the resurgence of Hawaiian language and culture of the past twenty years, Estria and Prime tell how their street art has taken them on personal journeys to discover their history, identity and responsibilities as Hawaiian people. Director Tad Nakamura and Hawaiian graffiti legend John "Prime" Hina are expected in attendance for a post film Q&A and live mural painting. Admission also includes entry to the Closing Night Reception catered by local Hawaiian food truck Poi Dog Philly and featuring the unveiling of limited edition Hawaiian ice cream flavor from Little Baby's Ice Cream. Facebook Event Page
Free Library of Philadelphia- South Branch
1700 South Broad St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Join Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) and Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers (PAAFF) for a screening, hosted by the South Philadelphia Library, of “Refugee Kids – One Small School Takes on the World“. This will be a short documentary that follows a student in New York City summer program for children seeking asylum from the world’s most volatile conflicts.
Free Library of Philadelphia- Main Parkway Branch
1901 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
In collaboration with the city of Philadelphia office of arts, culture, and the creative economy to celebrate Jazz Heritage month. A documentary about seminal Chinese American jazz musician as he comes to terms with his mortality and works to cement his legacy through music.
The Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA, United States
How does the art of style reveal personal stories? Join us for our very first Artist Bash! Meet and party with poets, dancers, musicians, and fashion designers sharing their heritage and history using style as a powerful mode of self-expression. Featuring the Ikiré Jones men’s fashion line, classical Indian dancer Roshni Tailor, and poet Lyrispect. Live music by AveNoir and Worldtown’s DJ Oluwafemi. • Tickets are $30;members $15 • Collection and Person of the Crowd exhibition access included. • Cocktails and gastropub fare available for purchase. • Dress code: Festive attire that shows off your personal style! In partnership with iHeartRadio Onehunted, Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers and Small but Mighty Arts
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Directed by William Worthington Starring Japanese immigrant Sessue Hayakawa, this early Hollywood silent film is a fantasy romance about love and creative inspiration. Tatsu (Hayakawa) is a reclusive painter who lives in the mountains, painting images of the dragon princess he loved in another life. Tatsu comes to believe the daughter of a wealthy art collector is his lost princess, but as he finds happiness in love, his art begins to suffer. In his prime Hayakawa was as popular as Charlie Chaplin, as rich as Douglas Fairbanks, and to this day the only Asian American to own his own Hollywood studio. Although set in Japan, the film was shot on location in Yosemite National Park and stars a predominately Japanese American cast, including his wife Tsuru Aoki. Produced by Hayakawa’s own Haworth Pictures, THE DRAGON PAINTER deliberately provides an authentic perspective on Japanese culture that counters the dominant narrative of stereotypes, violence, and melodramatic conflict expected in so-called “Oriental” films of the period. For these reasons we consider it to be one of the first Asian American films in history. In honoring the legacy of this groundbreaking hundred-year-old film at our 10th anniversary festival, PAAFF has commissioned a new original score to be performed live by Japanese American singer/songwriter Goh Nakamura. Following a brief Q&A with Goh, attendees will enjoy our opening night reception featuring complimentary food and beverage. Credits writer: William Worthington Tickets Festival Pass
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Forced to move back to his hometown of Windsor Canada, wannabe comedian Moses Kim finds his dreams derailed when his parents surprise him and his new wife with the deed to their family restaurant. Life gets more complicated when Moses’ teenage cousin from Korea unexpectedly shows up. Now Moses must navigate his failing restaurant, non-existent sex life, and fledgling comic career while playing chaperone to his overseas cousin. A nuanced comedy film about cross cultural differences of Asians and Asian Canadians, STAND UP MAN is the debut feature written and directed by Aram Collier, former Artistic Director of the Toronto Reel Asian Film Festival. Aram is expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A Preceded By Tiger Style! Before the screening of STAND UP MAN, Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) present an excerpt from TIGER STYLE! – a play by Mike Lew. Tickets Festival Pass
Institute of Contemporary Art
118 S 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
This series of FREE shorts offers a glimpse at a few of the many pathways to becoming an American in both a legal sense and identity. Subjects include Syrian refugees, undocumented college students, and first-generation identity crisis. Filmmakers expected to be in attendance. Go to Where the Light Is Director: Josh Oldham | 7 mins | USA Each year, approximately 13,000 North Koreans risk their lives in a desperate attempt to flee the country. This is the story of one survivor, Yeonmi Park, and her escape from North Korea. Just One Story Director: Melissa Taylor, Seng Rimpakone | 17 mins | USA As refugees from Laos, the Rimpakones spent only one year in Portland, Indiana, but that year shaped their futures. That year they became Americans. It Is What It Is Director: Cyrus Tabar | 8 mins | USA Cyrus, a first-generation American of mixed Japanese heritage tries to understand why his father kept him away from his Iranian grandparents. Turning to home movies and photos, he sets in motion a journey into the dark and nebulous corners of his family history. Searching Skies Director: Vivian Hua | 9 mins | USA When a Syrian refugee family is invited to a Christian family’s house for Christmas dinner, they are caught between opposing viewpoints for and against them. Godspeed Director: Chiahao Chou | 6 mins | USA An ambitious delivery boy decides to pursue his dreams at the expense of his financially struggling father. Lobbying to Learn Director: Matthew Hashiguchi | 8 mins | USA In Georgia, undocumented immigrants lobby the state legislature for the right to attend college. Festival Pass
Institute of Contemporary Art
118 S 36th Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
This collection of FREE shorts tells the varied stories of Southeast Asian Americans whose identities stem from their refugee status and one film about the current Karenni refugee crisis in Thailand. Filmmakers are expected to be in attendance. Float Director: Tristan Seniuk, Tristan Seniuk | 24 mins | USA Set in mid 1990s Seattle, Cambodian-American hustler Rocky Mang spends his days cruising the streets slanging cheap goods on the corner as he struggles to help his family make ends meet. His days are a hazy wash of grinding and hustling, only broken by his persistent attempts to convince a local barista named Jenni-Mo Day to go on a date. Worth Director: Vokee Lee | 15 mins | USA Based on a true story from 1982, a teenage Hmong refugee boy named Pao struggles to adopt the American lifestyle as he faces racism and bullying in high school. Kim: #justB courageous Director: Philippa Wharton | 3 mins | USA Kim’s story is a loving tribute to her father, who died of liver cancer caused by hepatitis B. She wonders whether the stigma about hepatitis B in the Vietnamese community prevented him from telling the family and seeking medical care earlier and suggests that access to culturally and linguistically appropriate resources could have prevented his death. Like We Don’t Exist Director: Ansley Sawyer, Corey Embring | 30 mins | Myanmar, Thailand, USA A short documentary about the ongoing ethnic violence and mass displacement of a minority called the Karenni between Thailand and Myanmar (formerly Burma). After 70 years of civil war – the Karenni face an uncertain future today as a refugee community surviving along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Tickets Festival Pass
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Directed by Ty Sanga Born in 1924, Myron “Pinky” Thompson was a social worker, activist, educator, soldier, and Native Hawaiian historian. Sustaining a serious eye wound at Normandy during WWII, Pinky wore a head bandage that kept him in the dark for some two years – from that darkness emerged a clear vision of his purpose in life. During the early years of the Native Hawaiian cultural renaissance, Pinky served as a leader of key Native Hawaiian organizations and played a pivotal role in garnering millions of dollars of federal funds to effect positive social change. Part of the Pacific Showcase presented by Pacific Islanders in Communications, this film details a story of challenge and triumph through the life of one of Hawaii’s most important 20th century leaders. Preceded By Ku Kanaka Marlene Booth - 30 mins In August 1969, 15-year-old Terry Young dove from a rock wall into shallow water, severing his spinal cord and becoming quadriplegic. Tickets Festival Pass
Directed by Byron Yee Growing up, Jacob used to spend every Saturday night camping in the desert with his disgraced astronomer father, waiting for the extra-terrestrials to arrive. Now an adult, Jacob continues this tradition alone while his ailing father is in the hospital on his deathbed. One night, a Mexican coyote, Maria, walks into his campsite leading a group of border crossers through the desert. As an unlikely relationship develops, Jacob must choose between his pursuit of the aliens above or the illegal alien that just walked into his life. An engaging and relatable drama that touches upon elements of family obligation and faith in the unknown. Filmmaker Byron Yee expected in attendance for post-film Q&A. Tickets Festival Pass
