ID Film Fest, a program of the Japanese American National Museum, is set to kickoff on Friday October 8, 2010 through October 10, 2010 in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles. This unique cinema festival – a weekend of Asian / Asian American film presentations and workshops, will open with the Los Angeles premiere of the critically acclaimed film Kit Hui’s FOG, starring Terrence Yin and Eugenia Wan. Hirokazu Koreeda’s much talked about film AIR DOLL is slated as the fest’s Centerpiece film and Ian McGruder’s THE THINGS WE CARRY will close out the three-day movie feast.

ID Film Fest was founded in 2008, by filmmakers Koji Steven Sakai and Quentin Lee who wanted screen compelling Asian / Asian American works that have not yet had a chance to show in Los Angeles. Now in its third year of running, ID Film Fest is a festival by filmmakers and for filmmakers who create Asian American content and/or of Asian descent.

“Los Angeles is a postmodern collage of cultures and identity,” says founder/filmmaker Quentin Lee. “Even within the broader umbrella of the ‘Asian American’ community, there are Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian Americans. Further diversifying the community are the divisions between first generation immigrants and those who were born here. A crisis of identity is inevitable and necessary even though we fantasize a more utopian unity. ID Film Fest is proud to present contemporary works that examine, explore or celebrate the identity crisis in our diverse global Asian community.”

“Everyone’s struggle with identity is totally unique, but at the same time there are commonalities,” shares co-founder/filmmaker Koji Sakai, “What Am I? Am I Japanese American? Am I Asian American? Am I American? ID Film Fest is meant to explore those similarities and differences; and through both, my hope is that everyone will be able to answer the basic question: ‘What are you?’”

Previous filmmakers and artists who have participated at ID Film Fest include: Justin Lin, Michael Aki, Eric Nakamura, Margaret Rhee, Tony Huang, Ann Kaneko, Chris Chan Lee, Tad Nakamura, Jason Tobin, Rea Tajiri and Ming Lai.

This year’s ID Film Fest filmmakers and actors will include: PJ Raval, Jessica Sanders, Brent Anbe, William Lu, Feodor Chin (Golden Boy), James Huang (R E P R E S E N T and The New Adventures of Johnny Karate & Golden Delicious), Kerwin Berk, Hirokazu Koreeda, Kit Hui, Ming Lai (Journey of a Paper Son), Eugenia Wan and Terrence Yin.

One of this year’s ID Film Fest highlights will be the BATTLE OF THE PITCHES 2 and The API PILOT SHOOT OUT where filmmakers will get a chance to participate in a live screenwriting pitch session with industry execs and the finalists for the API PILOT SHOOT OUT will present trailers of their work in competition.

This year’s Centerpiece film, AIR DOLL from Hirokazu Koreeda, is based on the popular manga series Kuuki Nigyo. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2009 and revolves around a middle-aged man whose closest friend is a life-sized doll. This isn’t just any sex doll though; it was made with a heart. So when the man goes to work during the day, the doll goes out and explores the world. The doll is played by the amazingly talented and beautiful Bae Donna (from the Korean film “The Host”). AIR DOLL portrays the loneliness and lack of human connection in not only Japan, but all industrialized big cities around the world. Koreeda remains of Japan’s most funny, poignant and prolifically skilled filmmakers.

ID Film Fest will run October 8 thru October 10, with all events taking place at the at downtown Los Angeles’ National Center for the Preservation of Democracy located at 111 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

“I Make Films Because…” ID FIlm Fest 2010 Trailer

The Things We Carry trailer (closing night film)