Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Opening Night Film, Narrative Program OPENING RECEPTION 9-11:00pm | Lightbox Film Center Director: Caylee So and Sok Visal 92 mins | Drama | Cambodia | Khmer, English Get Tickets The Life of Music is a story told in three chapters. It tells the story of how one song, “Champa Battambang,” a song made famous by Sinn Sisamuth (the King of Khmer Music), plays a role in the lives of three different generations. It is a powerful intergenerational tale that explores love and war as it depicts the lives of people whose world is inevitably transformed by the emergence of the Khmer Rouge. Watch Trailer Director Caylee So, Co-Producer praCh Ly, and other members of the Cast & Crew are expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A.
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Philadelphia Premiere Director: Emilie Upczak 77 mins | Drama | Trinidad and Tobago | English After the death of her father, Zhenzhen leaves China to be with her brother, who works construction on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Although she gets a job at a restaurant, she is forced into a compromising position when the smuggler demands more cash. Her brother promises to pay her debt, but he is unsuccessful in getting an advance from his employer, leaving Zhenzhen desperate. She asks her boss for the money. He agrees but makes Zhenzhen promise she will work it off. Help comes unexpectedly from Evelyn, who runs an art gallery in the neighborhood. But the contrast between the dark rooms above the restaurant and the blindingly white gallery calls everyone’s innocence into question. Get Tickets
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
US Premiere Director: Mark Bochsler 91 mins | Documentary | Cambodia | Central Khmer, English What started as a genocide survivor’s dream to revive an ancient sport becomes an inspiring mission to heal a nation. Surviving Bokator is a heartfelt story about reclaiming cultural identity and building bridges between generations. Filmed over five years, the film is told through the struggle of an elder genocide survivor to resurrect the ancient Cambodian martial art of Bokator and preserve it in the nation’s youth. Through their journey, the film reaches the very core of the generational fracture happening in Cambodian communities around the world today—a fracture between genocide survivors determined to revive and maintain traditional ways and Cambodia’s youth looking to forge ahead. Filmmakers are expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A. Get Tickets
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Live Performance In this showcase we will be exploring the connections between traditional and contemporary, showing how the lineage of musical practice within multiple generations of diasporic communities has helped create innovative approaches to the wholly American genre of hip hop. As we struggle to define what Asian American music is, what better way of understanding the rich variety of sounds and styles than juxtoposing these seemingly different, yet interrelated musical genres. Swarthmore Chinese Music Ensemble Co-directed by Guowei Wang and Lei Ouyang Bryant, the Chinese Music Ensemble performs traditional and contemporary music from different regions of China and the Chinese Diaspora. Students perform on traditional Chinese instruments including the guzheng (zither), erhu (bowed fiddle), pipa (plucked lute), yangqin (hammered dulcimer), dizi (flute), and percussion. Seti X Otherwise known as Mandeep Sethi, SETI X is a Los Angeles based emcee building bridges between California and India. A veteran of rocking the microphone and raising consciousness, SETI X is a versatile artist whose global reach has only strenthened over time. Most recently he opened up for Prophets of Rage, and when he isn’t on stage SETI X works as a teaching artist in LA County Juvenile Detention system. praCh Ly praCh Ly is a critically acclaimed artist whose music not only entertains, but also educates. Outside of his music, praCh serves as the Co-Founder and Director of Cambodia Town Film Festival in Long Beach California. A published author and lecturer at many institutions, praCh recently made his debut as a feature film producer with PAAFF opening night film In the Life of Music. This is praCh’s second time at PAAFF, having performed in the 2016 Hip Hop Showcase. Get Tickets
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Philadelphia Premiere Director: Bobby Choy and Steve Lee 85 mins | Drama | South Korea, USA | Korean, English Get Tickets Fiction and Other Realities is the story of Bobby Choy, a 20-something Korean American residing in New York City who feels like a stranger in the country in which he was born. After his father’s death, he starts writing sad songs but does not perform them very often. Mostly, he sings softly in his bathtub. Because of the thin walls of his apartment, his friend Billy—lead singer of the band Paper Kings—hears him and offers him a job as a roadie for the band’s upcoming tour, which includes a stop in Seoul. At first Bobby is hesitant, as he would be away from the only society he truly knows. But after mulling over the pros and cons, he decides to seize the opportunity to learn about his parents’ homeland. There he meets Ina, a young graduate student who performs for fun. Watch Trailer Bobby Choy is expected in attendance for a post-film Q&A and will be performing during the Musical Showcase to follow.
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
The low-lying Pacific nation of Kiribati faces a daunting challenge: imminent annihilation from sea-level rise. As Anote Tong, Kiribati’s President, races to find a way to protect his nation’s people and maintain their dignity, many iKiribati are seeking safe harbor overseas. Set against the backdrop of international climate negotiations and the fight to recognize climate displacement as an urgent human rights issue, Anote’s personal struggle to save his nation is intertwined with the extraordinary fate of Sermary, a young mother of six, who decides to migrate her family to New Zealand. At stake are the survival of Sermary’s family, the iKiribati people, and 4,000 years of iKiribati culture—yet the story also serves as a cautionary tale for low-lying populations everywhere. Get Tickets
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Philadelphia Premiere Director: Alexandra Cuerdo 79 mins | Documentary | USA | English Get Tickets In this delicious new documentary, Filipino-American filmmaker Alexandra Cuerdo follows the rise of Filipino food via the award-winning chefs who are crossing over to the center of the American table. Watch Trailer Ulam: Main Dish stages this new culinary movement as not only a remarkable achievement for American restaurateurs but also as a validation of Filipino culture. The film confronts issues inherent in representing both Filipino and American identity as well as challenges from both the Filipino community and the world at large. Ultimately, Ulam is a celebration—and confirmation—that Filipino food and Filipinos are here to stay. Director Alexandra Cuerdo expected in attendance for a post film Q&A followed by a catered reception featuring Filipino food. Centerpiece RECEPTION 8-9:00pm | Lightbox Film Center
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Writer, Director & Performer: Pratima Agrawal 80 mins | Live Performance What is it like to be an unconventional Indian woman trying to exist in a marginalizing world? Voided is a solo performance inspired by Pratima’s own experiences and the true story of Kalpana Chawla (the first Indian female astronaut in space and one of the crew members who died in the 2003 Columbia accident). It iss the exploration of culture, status quo, and representation that dares to color outside the lines. BIO: Pratima is a local performing artist, teaching artist, and administrator. While she considers herself to be from Austin, TX, she moved to Philadelphia four years ago by way of Bethlehem, PA for the city’s vibrant theatre and arts scene and is inspired by the progressive community voices within and outside of the arts. She finds purpose in working on projects that challenge her as an artist and push the boundaries of art and humanity. She also volunteers for the Philadelphia Ready for 100 clean energy campaign and is a Sixers fan. She would like to thank all her collaborators for their artistry and continued support.