Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

Asian American

Woman touching mask on her face with both hands in from Son of Paper's "7 O'Clock" Music Video

Son of Paper’s newest music video is released “right on time”

Interview, Interviews /

The lights are dimmed. The wine is expensive. The music is sultry. The feeling of being in a healthy love affair washes over you when you listen to Son of Paper’s newest single “7 O’Clock.” Son of Paper, is a rapper, singer, and song-writer from San Francisco. His smooth and melodic delivery on diverse productions touches upon 2000’s R&B and golden era and Korean Hip-Hop. Kyle Shin, the mastermind behind SOP, is quite possibly one of the hardest working artists to have ever hit the PAAFF stage. Kyle reached out to me at the end of 2019, introducing himself and expressing interest in performing at our next festival. I was ecstatic. Kyle did not know this at the time, but a festival attendee had already recommended his music to me and encouraged us to reach out. By total chance, Kyle beat us to it. The circumstances of 2020 took us all by surprise. PAAFF was grappling with planning a festival in a completely new format, under a new leadership team, and by August, we weren’t even sure that we’d have the bandwidth to put on a virtual music showcase. Luckily, Kyle stepped in and gathered his friends to bring light and love to our audiences through music. The music showcase drew a huge virtual turnout, and people were excited to see new and upcoming Asian American artists. Son of Paper’s newest release, “7 O’Clock” was teased during the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival in 2020 as part of our live stream intro music. The song was so popular that audiences demanded PAAFF create a playlist for future listening! Kyle Shin, AKA Son of Paper, shot by Justin Guo Following the success of SOP’s performance at PAAFF 2020, we were excited to co-host the premiere of the “7 O’Clock” music video on Saturday, April 10th. Both Son of Paper and the music video director, Justin Guo, took some time to speak with us about their latest collaboration. Interview with Son of Paper and video director Justin Guo Selena: So… let’s just get this question out of the way. Kyle, are you actually engaged? Kyle: Find out on the next episode of … just kidding. I am not engaged, but I am in a healthy relationship! I hope my real proposal can be as elaborate as in “7 O’Clock.” Selena: Can you tell me a little bit about what inspired you to write this song? K: Rymeezee (AKA Rymo), the producer and rap feature, actually had his sections finalized by the time I got into the studio. He was like, Kyle, I need a hook. Can you cook something up? 24 hours later the song was finished. My lyrics were inspired by the man Rymo is and the man I’m hoping to become: a class act and true gentleman. No more playing games, being late, or broken promises. Tonight, I’m on time and treating you right. Melodically, my R&B-type songs are very influenced by Usher, Mariah Carey, and Ne-Yo and that’s definitely true for “7OC.” Featured artist Rymeeze, still from “7 O’Clock” music video Selena: How did you come up with the concept of the music video? Can you talk a little bit about your creative process? J: The initial concept was a 4-5 location shoot with a storyline about a tumultuous relationship that sorta gets reconciled at the end. With our pandemic limitations, I had the idea of just working with the final dinner date scene to create something sensual and cinematic. K: As Justin said, location was the hardest part to work around. I was initially concerned about Justin’s one location idea. In this day and age of fast paced social media, keeping the viewer’s interest is increasingly difficult. But the more we talked through it, J and I realized that with controlled lighting and lots of promposal-esque props, we could create a magical and exciting romance. Selena: What about this release are you most proud of? K: I’m most proud of the film crew. Despite us all being young artists, we were all professional, safely pulling off one of my best videos without any hiccups. I believe the whole shoot was under 8 hours. J: At the start we had booked a nice studio location, which got cancelled due to COVID, then our Plan B got cancelled by COVID, even our Plan C! Kyle’s garage was plan D haha. So I’m proud of the fact that we pulled it off in a tiny garage on a micro micro budget. Selena: How has the pandemic affected your creativity, if at all? Kyle and I have talked a little about this previously at last year’s festival, but what is it like to be Asian American artists during this time? J: From a production perspective, film crews have become noticeably smaller, so each crew member suddenly inherits a lot more responsibility and the delegation/efficiency becomes crucial. As a filmmaker I’ve also had to adapt to doing more solo work, e.g., directing small promotional videos, filming elopement weddings, outdoor weddings, and such. K: The pandemic has completely changed my game plan but hopefully for the best. Instead of performing every other night, I’ve channeled my energy into recording new music by myself. This change has really made me work on my weaknesses, hone my vocal skills, and think deeply about why I make music. I think the recent rise of anti-Asian hate crimes has confirmed my “why.” Our community needs the younger generations to speak up and tell our Asian American story … despite the hostility and danger. This is a critical movement that I can contribute to. Follow Son of Paper on Instagram @sonofpaper and listen to his music on Spotify and SoundCloud. You can find featured artist Rymeezee on Instagram at @rymeezee. Justin’s work can be found on Vimeo.

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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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Image of red carpet

May We Have the Envelope Please?

Art, Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Local Philly, News /

On November 20, we celebrated a wildly successful 9th annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival with much fanfare, food, and a strong sense of community. We are thrilled to announce the award winners from PAAFF16. Thank you to all who participated and supported our festival, and CONGRATULATIONS to our winners!   Best Narrative Feature – The Tiger Hunter Dir. Lena Khan: The Tiger Hunter is a funny yet poignant reflection on the experiences of many first generation South Asian immigrants in the United States.   Best Documentary Feature – Tyrus Dir. Pamela Tom: Tyrus tells the unlikely story of 105-year old Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, whose unique style combined Chinese calligraphic and landscape influences with contemporary Western art to define the stylistic look of Disney”s Bambi.   Best Narrative Short – I Won’t Miss You Dir. Bernard Badion: 17-year-old Janey’s best friend Tim begins to appear in her bedroom at night after dying in a car crash and their awkward undeclared feelings begin to surface.   Best Documentary Short – Noodle Deli Dir. David Liu: From China to Los Angeles, an immigrant chef continues one of the world’s fabled culinary traditions — the art of making noodles.   Audience Choice Narrative – The Last Smile Dir. Shankey Srinivasan: 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.   Audience Choice Documentary – Mele Murals Dir. Tadashi Nakamura: 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.   Vijay Mohan Social Change Award – Dear Thalia Dir. Rex Moribe: Dear Thalia offers a firsthand look into the lives of a family living on the streets of Kakaako, Oahu.   Rising Star Award – Danny Pudi: Perhaps best known for his role as Abed Nadir on the NBC/Yahoo! comedy series Community, PAAFF honored Danny Pudi for his leading man-making performance in this year’s Best Narrative Feature, The Tiger Hunter.  

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Vinage Postcards

Hau’oli la Homebrew: Closing Night Beer Tasting

Documentary, Events, Local Philly, News /

  On Sunday November 20th, PAAFF ’16 will close our 9th annual film festival with a Hawaii-themed Closing Night Party. The evening kicks off with a screening of Mele Murals, a stunning documentary highlighting the power of art to inspire, transform, and connect. In addition to the screening, this event will feature a live mural painting, catering by Poi Dog Snack Shop, a limited-edition flavor ice cream by Little Baby’s, and tastings by five of Philadelphia’s most creative home brewers and members of HOPS (Homebrewers of Philadelphia & Suburbs), the area’s oldest homebrew club.     Two of the beers we’ll be sampling are ales. Matt Johnson—an archaeologist by training and currently a writing instructor at the University of Pennsylvania—is a recent addition to the HOPS club. He will be pouring his Akamu Ale. Akamu means “red earth” in Hawaiian, and this ale derives its russet hue from the addition of 1.5 oz of dried hibiscus flowers during the brewing process. Matt describes his beer as “light, refreshing ale with a bit of tart, fruit-like flavor.” Our second ale artist and tap master, Jeremy Hancher, works as an environmental consultant. But he’s also an award-winning brewer. Most recently, Jeremy won first place awards in the highly competitive HOPS BOPS for both his Milk Stout and German Schwarzbier. This Sunday Jeremy will be unveiling a British pale ale he’s dubbed PAAFF Pale Ale. We’re particularly thrilled that Jeremy has chosen to name this brew in honor of our film festival, as he took first prize in the 2010 War of the Worts in the English Pale Ale category.     Nothing says “the tropics” like fresh fruit. But fruit is only one reason we’re so excited about Tyler Flynn’s contribution to our party. Although he is a specialist in U.S. History at Eastern University, Tyler has brewed Mango Saison—a multigrain, Belgian-style farmhouse ale with a touch of mango—to pair with Poi Dog’s Pacific-fusion snacks. Considered one of the area’s rising stars in home brewing, Tyler has won numerous awards at both Philly Beer Week’s Extreme Homebrew Challenge and HOPS BOPS. Tyler has also written artfully about his journey from “ale consumer to ale producer.” Michael Soo began brewing when his wife bought him a homebrewing kit from Home Sweet Homebrew for Christmas. Eight years and countless brewing medals later, this “breakaway star” in beer brings his knowledge as a doctoral candidate in Biochemistry at the University of Pennsylvania to his brewing. While sour beers have only recently taken off in the Philadelphia area, connoisseurs have long prized sour ales, in part, because brewing them entails considerable time and a deft hand with tricky microorganisms. So make sure to sample Michael’s Sour Grapes of Wrath, a sour Flemish-style Brown Ale (Oud Bruin) fermented with concord grapes.     Finally, PAAFF is honored to be offering Blood on the Tracks—a hefeweizen/IPA hybrid using Mandarina Bavaria hops and a touch of blood-orange puree—brewed by Philadelphia’s own beer legend, George Hummel. Both George and his wife Nancy Rigberg are the owners of Home Sweet Homebrew, and they have been award-winning writers, speakers, and homebrewers since 1986. They are the founders of HOPS and have been recognized for their part in making Philadelphia “the best beer city in America.” And in case sampling inspires you to try your hand at brewing, click on the keg for more information on HOPS and Home Sweet Homebrew.   PAAFF would like to thank all the brewers for generously donating their time and their talents. We offer special thanks to George and Nancy for allowing us to borrow their beer-serving equipment.

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Triptych photo of performers

PAAFF First Friday at the Barnes – A Closer Look

Art, Events, Indonesia, Japanese, Live Performance, Local Philly, Music, News, Sci-Fi, Short Films, South Asian, Tibetan /

On Friday May 6th, the Barnes Foundation will celebrate Asia-Pacific American Heritage Month with Asia Fantasia, a First Friday fusion of art and performance. Asia Fantasia represents PAAFF’s first collaboration with the Barnes. The event will showcase the rich diversity of traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian American artistic engagement while shedding light on the fertile artistic dialogue between east and west. Throughout the evening, visitors will be treated to live performances varying from a traditional Tibetan yak dance by the Tibetan Association of Philadelphia to the fresh sounds of Anthony Brown’s Asian American Jazz Trio. Tibetan culture features a number of animal-themed dances—including the snow lion and the deer—but the yak dance is particularly suited to this occasion. Not only is the dance traditionally performed as a welcoming, but the yak itself also symbolizes the rugged strength and playfulness of the Tibetan people. Far from the snowy heights of Tibet lies the home of the angklung, a percussive instrument made from bamboo tubes mounted to a frame. The angklung creates a unique, almost “raindrop-like” sound and has been recognized by UNESCO as an element of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Based in Washington D.C., the House of Angklung helps to preserve and promote this Indonesian art form through educational outreach and performances. Though their Angklung Goes to School program, the House of Angklung has introduced young people in over twenty schools in the D.C. area to Indonesian music and culture. And in July 2011 they took part in a Guinness world record-breaking ensemble of angklung players (click on the image to view video from event). Fast-forwarding to the twentieth century and beyond, Dr. Anthony Brown will be bringing his Asian American Jazz Trio (an offshoot of his larger Asian American Orchestra) from San Francisco. While the Asian American Jazz Trio features original compositions that blend traditional Asian instruments and concepts with the improvisational qualities of post-modern jazz, Brown has promised to include the work of John Coltrane, “Philadelphia’s most revered jazz musician, one who was profoundly influenced by Asian music and spirituality.” As both a musician and a scholar, Brown is attuned to the histories and influences that underlie Asian American jazz. He points out that—like Latin American jazz—Asian American jazz is infused with traditionally non-jazz instruments, in the case of his trio, the shakuhachi and the sheng. Yet, as with jazz and blues, early Asian American jazz was inspired by “the life experiences of its working-class creators who musically conveyed their stories of Asians on American soil.” Brown himself was recently featured in Don’t Lose Your Soul, a documentary dedicated to Brown, fellow jazz pioneer Mark Izu, and their 30+ year collaboration. Finally, hold onto your seatbelts for Faroukh Virani’s sci-fi short Vimana. Released almost a year before The Martian, Vimana focuses on Pankaj and Naaz, two South Asian astronauts who must land their vessel and settle an alien planet in the wake of their captain’s untimely demise. Although set in deep space, the story “could be a human emotional moment anywhere,” according to Virani. Asia Fantasia will also feature a short lecture on Japanese art and commodities in the 19th century, glass painting sponsored by Blue Moon Brewing Company, as well as light refreshments and beverages for purchase. Tickets are available through the Barnes Foundation.

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Photo of Scott "Chops" Jung and Festival Director Rob Busher

Newsworks: Asian-American authenticity in hip-hop and movies

News /

Great interview and article from Newsworks. Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival director Rob Buscher and music producer Scott “Chops” Jung discuss the gap between disrespect and celebration of Asian-American culture. The upcoming film festival marks its eighth season, Nov. 12 – 22. It is the largest East Coast showcase of films created by Asian Americans, celebrating music, culture and food along with more than 60 film showings. Update 11/9/2020: This interview is no longer available on the Newsworks website.

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