“Proud: The Mod Club” is a short documentary of how D-Pryde started in his humble beginnings to performing to a crowd of three to selling out 400+ person venues. His grind and inner circle has driven him to succeed in the music game. From Toronto to New York, D-Pryde is on the move meeting fans, performing, and making music. He remembers his roots and his family. The documentary speak for itself about the young man’s climb & drive and love for his family.
The full-length documentary “The Untold Story: Internment of Japanese Americans in Hawaii” chronicles a little known story in Hawai’i’s history. Within 48 hours of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawai’i authorities arrested several hundred local Japanese on O’ahu, Maui, Hawai’i and Kaua’i. In total, over 2,000 men and women of Japanese ancestry were arrested, detained and interned in Hawai’i. Later, they were sent to the Department of Justice and War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps on the continental U.S. There was no evidence of espionage or sabotage and no charges were ever filed against them. There was no evidence of espionage or sabotage and no charges were ever filed against them. While the story of mass internment of Japanese Americans in California, Oregon and Washington has been well documented, very little is known about the Hawaii internees and the confinement sites located in Hawaii.
The Untold Story: Internment of Japanese Americans in Hawaii Trailer
Modern China is working hard to give itself a new image. And now a frightening new craze for Western-style beauty is driving a nationwide boom in dangerous and drastic cosmetic surgery procedures.
“Until recently, communist ideals valued natural beauty. Today, other things are considered beautiful”, explains fashion photographer Zheng Chen. At just 19, young model Ai Xiao Qi has found success in China’s fashion world. But she isn’t under any illusions about the painful cause of her popularity: “when you’re in front of cameras, your face must have a strong profile”. A strong profile: the new Chinese euphemism for surgically-enhanced Western features. In a bid to be as tall as Westerners, Chinese girls are even undergoing gruesome procedures to break and extend their legs. After a botched surgery, tour guide Qi Lixia ended up horribly disfigured. “The doctors tried to re-assure me. But my nose was completely deformed.” But such is the pressure on young girls that she’s prepared to go under the knife again: “Looking good helps me in my job”. As this mantra becomes more widely accepted, the message to young girls is clear: it’s what’s on the outside that counts.
If you missed the short film documentary “Top Spin” on the film festival circuit, you have a chance to see it online. Imagine the smell of fresh rubber paddles, hollow plastic balls whirling by at 80 mph, and exclamations of victory interrupted by bitter cries of defeat. Welcome to the world of competitive table tennis. With hard work and family sacrifice, a young table tennis champion works towards becoming one of the top players in the world — Ariel Hsing exudes a quiet confidence and intensity that rivals any young professional athlete working hard to become a promising Olympic champion. However, Ariel’s story goes beyond her personal dedication and also reveals the family sacrifices that foster her talent. With the pressures of rigorous training, international tournaments, schoolwork and SAT’s — is it all worth it in the end?
Three brave, young New Yorkers reveal what it’s like to grow up without having legal immigration status. Their struggles and their strength are on full display as they come out of the shadows and into the light. Listen to their challenges from school to employment because of their undocumented immigrant status. Ru, Neriel, and Razeen are among the founding members of RAISE (Revolutionizing Asian American Immigrant Stories on the East Coast). Join these members of RAISE in their fight for change… and a chance.
BASKETBALL, MERI JAAN centers on the life of Yeshodhara, a vibrant woman who immigrated to the United States from India thirty years ago. The film illustrates how her lifelong love of professional sports has served as a vehicle to create a community and sense of belonging for herself. For an Indian immigrant twice displaced, home is where the hoops are as she builds a strong and special connection with the local sports community. The documentary was made by Veena Hampapur of UCLA about her mother.
