Category Archives: filmfestival

SDAFF needs your help

We just got this urgent message from the good people of the San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF). If you’re in San Diego, some out to support them. If you’re not in the San Diego area, you can write and email. Although this seems like it only affect San Diego, it will eventually affect directors, actors, and Asian American film with one less venues to showcase their work.

As you can tell, the City Council vote on the Hazard Center Redevelopment Project will affect us as well as many other San Diego film festivals. Come show your solidarity this Tuesday, May 18 at the City Council chambers, when they will be moving forward on that day with a vote on the Hazard Center Redevelopment Project.

We’d like to be there in full force to show our solidarity as a community. If you can join us, we’d be incredibly grateful for your time and support. For more information on the Hazard Center Redevelopment Project, click here.

Tuesday, May 18, 2 PM
202 C Street, Downtown San Diego
City Council Chambers, 12th floor

With thanks and appreciation,
– The San Diego Asian Film Foundation

SDAFF Needs Your Help! Take Action in 5 Minutes.

Hello SDAFF Family and Friends,

As a supporter of the SDAFF, we hope you will take 5 minutes to personalize and email the following letter to all the San Diego city council offices and the mayor. We are trying to get 200-300 emails in by the end of the day to help postpone a vote on the Hazard Center Redevelopment Project (which will greatly affect our film festival and other San Diego film festivals) on Tuesday, May 18th. If there’s anyone else in your office, family, or network to do the same, PLEASE ask them to! Thank you so much – it means very much to us!

– SDAFF

*Email your letter to:*

shadley@sandiego.gov , cbarfield@sandiego.gov, afaucett@sandiego.gov, jslack@sandiego.gov, anthonyyoung@sandiego.gov, jfoxrice@sandiego.gov, shill@sandiego.gov, dmullen@sandiego.gov, edemorest@sandiego.gov, fmonroig@sandiego.gov hperaza@sandiego.gov, benhueso@sandiego.gov, JerrySanders@sandiego.gov, kmichell@sandiego.gov

*Feel free to personalize the following letter in any way you would like.
Please be sure to leave your full name, address, and title if appropriate.*

Dear Councilmembers and Mayor,

I am writing to urge you to postpone your vote on the Hazard Center Redevelopment project on May 18. As a voter and supporter of the arts, I am very sad and disappointed to learn that the Hazard Center theater is set to be demolished under this proposal to make room for a parking lot. This venue has become a cultural destination for tens of thousands of us who have attended the San Diego Asian, Latino, and Jewish Film Festivals for more than a decade. These festivals have collectively brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue to the city, and have made San Diego into an international arts destination.

Moving forward without studying the full impacts of the proposal could have a severe impact on Arts and Culture in the San Diego region because losing the Hazard Center Theater WILL displace these festivals given the lack of affordable and accessible theater venues in San Diego. The developer OliverMcMillan has stated that it was committed to helping the Festivals find a new home. However, the only solution offered – the Gaslamp Theaters – would create such a financial burden on the Festivals, that they would have to dramatically change their operations or go out of business. We cannot let this happen. Please postpone your vote on May 18 on the Hazard Center Redevelopment project so that the festivals have more time to find real solutions in securing their futures.

Thank you for your consideration,

Name
Title

Address

Here’s what SDAFF is trying to do for the community:

Cinema Musica! 2010 from LAAPFF

Cinema Musica! 2010 from LAAPFF

During the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), we met Grace “Peachies” Su, who curated the music videos for Cinema Musica! 2010. Check out the music video series she put together for the film fest. This music-meets-cinema extravaganza presents the latest innovations in music video from APA and Asian artists from around the world!

We’ve posted a bunch on channelAPA.com before including Hibi no Neiro by SOUR, Bulldozer by The Invisible Cities, Where Do We Go (Where Is Home) by Bamboo Star, Never Fall 2010 by IZ, Yummy by Hopie Spitshard, Short Intermission by Big Phony, Valentine by Kina Grannis, I Party by Far East Movement, Lovely to Me (Immigrant Mother) by Taiyo Na, and Man or Machine directed by Todd Angkasuwan.

Cinema Musica! 2010 from LAAPFF

Bruce Lee at the 2010 LAAPFF

Bruce Lee at the 2010 LAAPFF

As difficult as it may be to believe, the legendary Bruce Lee, would have turned 70 years old this year. And while it may — or perhaps not — be difficult to imagine him as a septuagenarian still beating down bad guys, what can’t be denied is decades after his passing, he remains as influential as ever.

In tribute to and in celebration of the martial arts, action film and cultural icon, the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, in association with his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell and daughter Shannon Lee and their Bruce Lee Enterprises, are organizing a Special Bruce Lee Program at this year’s festival beginning sundown Friday, April 30 at the new Madang Center Courtyard in Los Angeles’ Koreatown with a free screening and other events throughout the weekend.

The Bruce Lee celebration kicks off with a free outdoor screening of THE CHINESE CONNECTION and after party on Friday, April 30 and continues the following day at noon with a special screening of ENTER THE DRAGON followed immediately by a panel discussion entitled, “How Bruce Lee Influenced Pop Culture” featuring daughter Shannon, directors Reginald Hudlin (HOUSE PARTY, THE BOONDOCKS) and Brett Ratner (RUSH HOUR, X-MEN 3: THE LAST STAND), ENTER THE DRAGON co-star Bob Wall and musician Joseph Hahn from the rock band LINKIN PARK.

For the celebration’s finale, a special panel discussion entitled, BRUCE LEE: THE FAMILY MAN featuring Linda Cadwell and Shannon Lee and Goddaughter Diana Lee Inosanto takes place 4 p.m. Sunday at The Directors Guild of America.

The full Bruce Lee Birthday Celebration schedule with details:
BRUCE LEE, CULTURAL ICON: 70th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
The Los Angeles Pacific Film Festival is pleased to collaborate with Bruce Lee Enterprises in honor of the 70th birthday of martial arts legend and Asian American cultural icon/actor Bruce Lee.

• FREE OUTDOOR SCREENING:
THE CHINESE CONNECTION
Friday, April 30, 7PM, Madang the Courtyard (FREE Parking)
621 S. Western Ave. (one block north of Wilshire Blvd.),
Los Angeles – Koreatown.
Featuring a pre-screening live performance from rock band LiLA (Lost in Los Angeles) Event is free.

THE CHINESE CONNECTION is “the” film that introduced Bruce Lee to young urban and Asian American audiences (contains action and violence; parental guidance suggested) back in the 70’s!

• FESTIVAL SCREENING and PANEL DISCUSSION:
ENTER THE DRAGON
Saturday, May 1, 12:00 p.m., Laemmle Sunset 5
8000 W. Sunset Blvd. (at Crescent Heights), West Hollywood, CA 90046

ENTER THE DRAGON is considered to be the quintessential Bruce Lee film with an all-star cast of marital artists and actors

Plus Panel Discussion: HOW BRUCE LEE INFLUENCED POP CULTURE
A martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover. Includes a special post-screening panel with Shannon Lee, Directors Reginald Hudlin and Brett Ratner, martial artist/actor Bob Wall and rock musician Joseph Hahn of Linkin Park, and moderated by Phil Yu of angryasianman.com.
This screening and panel discussion is a “ticketed” event Tickets available at www.vconline.org/festival or at box office.
.
• SPECIAL PANEL DISCUSSION:
BRUCE LEE: THE FAMILY MAN
Sunday, May 2, 4:00 p.m., Directors Guild of America, Atrium
7920 Sunset Blvd. (one block west of Fairfax Ave.), West Hollywood, CA 90046
An intimate chat with widow Linda Lee Cadwell, daughter Shannon Lee, and moderated by director/stuntwoman/martial artist and God-daughter Diana Lee Inosanto
This event is free.

THE BRUCE LEE 70th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION is part of the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, which also features 170 films from over 20 countries beginning April 29 and ending on May 8, 2010.

Enter the Dragon (Behind the scenes)

Ken Ochiai films at 2010 LAAPFF

Ken Ochiai films at 2010 LAAPFF

Award winning director, Ken Ochiai will screen three of his films, “Half Kenneth,” “Lucky Lotus,” and “No More” at the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF). The films were selected by over 1000 submissions and it is extremely unusual to screen three films by the same director. He will attend the screenings for Q&A.

Most notably “Half Kenneth,” a heart warming story about half-Caucasian/half Japanese brothers who escape from the Japanese American internment camps, has been selected by over 30 international film festivals all over the world and won numerous awards including the Best Short Film at the Rome International Film Festival, Governor of Tokyo Award and Best Short Film at the Short Short Film Festival which is the biggest short film festival in Asia and an Oscar qualified film festival.

Ochiai is the first Japanese native to win the Special Jury Prize from Directors Guild of America for directing “Half Kenneth.” “Making this film was my way of expressing my gratitude and appreciation for those brave immigrants who have opened many closed doors and allowed me to pursue my dream in the U.S. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to come this far.” said Ochiai at a recent award acceptance speech.

Screenings for Ken Ochiai films will be held at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival:

May 1st Saturday
Half Kenneth
PROGRAM21 6:00 PM
Sunset 5
8000 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90046

Half Kenneth synopsis:
1945: after the death of his father, Ken escapes Japanese American internment camp to find his Caucasian mother who lives in town. Things become complicated, however, when Ken’s little brother, Jo, joins him at the last minute.

Half Kenneth Trailer

May 1st Saturday
Lucky Lotus
Program17 10:00PM
Directors Guild of America
7920 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90046

Lucky Lotus synopsis:
Cong is an aging beauty and a hustling business woman who is also a loving, but controlling mother to her daughter, Lien. Cong owns and operates Lucky Lotus, a prominent hostess bar where men come for flirtatious conversation and friendship. Her daughter Lien is one of the most popular hostesses at Lucky Lotus, but she is tiring of the bar lifestyle her mother forged for her. When Cong discovers that Lien has other aspirations, Cong forgets that she is a mother and instead tries her best to manipulate Lien into staying at Lucky Lotus. Will this obsessive mother learn to let go?

Lucky Lotus Trailer

May 4th Tuesday
No More music video
PROGRAM52 9:15PM
Downtown Independent
251 South Main St Los Angeles CA 90012

We can’t figure out how director Ken Ochiai did this music video. There are forward and backward sequences to form a cohesive music video with a story line. You have to see it to understand what we’re talking about.

No More music video teaser

More about Ken Ochiai

Ken Ochiai made his first film at age 12. Immediately following his high school graduation, he left his hometown of Tokyo to pursue his dream of becoming a film director in the United States. Ken graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television Production and the American Film Institute’s M.F.A Directing program. He has made more than 30 short films, commercials, and music videos and won over 10 international accolades. Ken also worked on Inception (Waner Bros.) as an interpreter for Christopher Nolan on Japan Unit. He is currently working as a professional writer/director in LA and has a number of projects in development in Japan and the U.S including two feature scripts “Summer 47” and “Half Kenneth.”

2010 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival Trailer

2010 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival Trailer

Are you ready for the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF)? The Festival features over 160 films screening April 29 to May 8 at theaters in Hollywood and Little Tokyo.  Here’s a couple trailers to pique your interests.   channelAPA.com crew members will be there. Find us and say hi. For more info about the festival, please visit www.vconline.org/festival.

2010 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival Trailer by filmmaker Joseph Kamiya

2010 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival Trailer by Festival Projection Coordinator Paul Moore

updated: George Shaw explains how he created the music for the 2010 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Trailer.

Asian Showcase at 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival

Asian Showcase at 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival

On Wednesday, April 28, 2010, the 11th annual Newport Beach Film Festival will present its Asian Showcase, an evening celebration of Asian cinema and culture. The event will feature premiere screenings of acclaimed Asian films, followed by a festive post screening gala. Representing China, Japan, and Korea, the Asian Showcase will give filmgoers an opportunity to experience Asian film and culture at its finest.

The showcase will feature the regional premieres of Sophie’s Revenge as the Chinese Spotlight, Air Doll as the Japanese Spotlight and Private Eye as the Korean Spotlight. Sophie’s Revenge was a box office hit in China and stars Zhang Ziyi as a graphic novelist whose boyfriend has left her for a famous actress. Her plans to seek revenge reveal, in time, a deeper understanding of life and love.

Sophie’s Revenge trailer

From the award-winning director, Hirokazu Kore-Eda, Air Doll, is the modern-day Pinocchio story of an inflatable plastic doll, maid costume and all, which comes to life. The journey through her new world prompts key questions of existence. Where do we find meaning in our own lives? What ultimately makes us human?

Air Doll trailer

A favorite on the film festival circuit, Private Eye, is a well crafted mystery-thriller. Set in 1910, the film tells the story of a Korean “Sherlock Holmes” who must help a local doctor, accused of murder, prove his innocence.

Private Eye trailer

The films will screen at the Edwards Island Cinemas, located in Fashion Island at 999 Newport Center Drive in Newport Beach. Attendees can choose one of the three Showcase films and participate in the after event.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
7:30 p.m. – Air Doll (2009, Japan, 125 min)
7:45 p.m. – Private Eye (2009, Korea, 111 min)
8:00 p.m. – Sophie’s Revenge (2009, China, 107 min)

The post-screening celebration will take place at RED Night Club, located at 4647 MacArthur Boulevard, Newport Beach, CA 92660. RED Night Club is the top ultra lounge in Orange County – Offering an upscale blend of exotic eastern and sophisticated western ambience. Admission to one of the Asian Showcase films and the post event is $35.00. For ticket and information and updates visit www.NewportBeachFilmFest.com