Category Archives: filmfestival

2008 Asian Film & Television Festival

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The 2008 Asian Film & Television Festival is free five-day event that will showcase films of varying topics that will help to assist in bridging the gap between Asian and American cultures. Here’s where you can go to catch the free flix.

Date: Monday to Friday, May 12 to 16, 2008

Time: 2PM to 4PM; & 4PM to 6PM

Place: Chinese Community Center

64 Mott Street, Manhattan

The other goal of the Asian Film & Television Festival is get people to visit New York City’s Chinatown. Since September 11, 2001, Chinatown’s economy has suffered tremendously through the loss of jobs, businesses and traffic access in Lower Manhattan.

Later this week they are showing Rice Rhapsody:

Silk Screen: Asian American Film Festival

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The Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival kicks off today and runs May 9-18, 2008 in Pittsburgh. The festival will be showcasing 25 films in multiple venues. Silk Screen will feature films made by Asians and Asian-Americans at the three Pittsburgh Filmmakers venues: The Regent Square Theater, Harris Theater, and the Melwood Screening Room.

The opening night film on May 9, 2008 is “Before The Rains” starring Nandita Das and Rahul Bose. Director Santosh Sivan will be visiting from India to present the film and conduct a Q&A. The Special Presentation includes four Nikkatsu Action films: The Warped Ones, Glass Johnny: Looks Like a Beast, A Colt is My Passport, and Plains Wanderer. Other films screening at the festival include Dark Matter, Never Forever, The Home Song Stories, Santa Mesa, Ping Pong Playa, and Option 3. Check the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival for full festival schedule.

Watch the trailer for the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival:

Festival Director Harish Saluja speaking about the Silk Screen: Asian American Film Festival:

The Home Song Stories

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The Home Song Stories is the true story of Rose (Joan Chen), a glamorous Shanghai nightclub singer, who struggles to survive in seventies Australia with two young children. Based on writer/director Tony Ayres’ own life, it is an epic tale of mothers and sons, mothers and daughters, unrequited love, betrayal and secrets.

This film has been shown at film festivals around the world and has won numerous wards including Best Original Screenplay and Best Director for Tony Ayres. Joan Chen also won the Best Actress award from the Torino International Film Festival, 2007 Inside Film Awards, 2007 Australian Film Institute Awards, and 2007 Golden Horse Awards. “The Home Song Stories” was the Australian entry for nomination consideration in the Foreign Language Film category of the Oscars.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, you can catch “Home Song Stories tonite. This is the Closing night film for Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2008 and the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival 2008.

Watch the Home Song Stories Trailer:

Always Be Boyz

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B-boys and B-girls have been hot over the past few months. Jabbawockeez and Kaba Modern gaining high visibility on America’s Best Dance Crew. Benson Lee’s Planet B-Boy doc that follows breakdancers around the world. Korean Gambler crew signing up for Hype Nation. If you are in the Los Angeles area, Always Be Boyz is screening tonight at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

Here’s a synopsis of Always Be Boyz:

Seven is the leader of a b-boy crew that is struggling to find corporate sponsorships. After many blow offs by the huge sports apparel company known as Make, the crew has a decision to make. Do they wear the required Make logos on their clothes for the biggest competition known as the “Battle of the Year”(owned by Make), or do they wear their own logos, relinquishing any chance of victory? The film’s message is in the title.

Always Be Boyz is director John Kwon’s first cinematic endeavor in which he spent the last six years in Korea with a group of rag tag breakdancers. The movie was shot in Korea with real b-boys playing the main roles.

Watch the Always Be Boyz trailer:

Asian American Association Film Festival 2008

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The Asian American Association (AAA) at the University of California at Davis proudly hosts its fifth annual film festival, to be held on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday nights between May 6-16, 2008 in the 194 Chemistry Building on the UC Davis campus. The Asian American Association Film Festival’s (AAAFF) mission is to promote cultural awareness and to empower Asian Americans by presenting the issues and realities of the Asian American community otherwise ignored or stereotyped by mainstream media. Last year over 1,000 community members attended the festival. All events are FREE and open to the public.

Here’s the current line up for 2008

Tues. May 6: Colma: the Musical

Thurs. May 8: Dark Matter

Fri. May 9: Journey from the Fall

Tues. May 13: New Year Baby

Thurs. May 15: Tie a Yellow Ribbon

Fri. May 16: American Pastime + Student Films

Watch the trailer for the Asian American Association Film Festival:

For the opening night film, see the trailer for Colma:The Musical

Kissing Cousins

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Kissing Cousins has screened in San Francisco, Chicago, and now in Los Angeles. Here’s synopsis of the movie:

AMIR, 29, is a heartbreaker. Literally. As a “relationship termination specialist, providing “dumping services” for disgruntled daters, Amir spends his days delivering bad news to unsuspecting lovers across Los Angeles and retrieving his clients’ belongings (underwear, CDs, photos, etc). Though Amir claims he is “just the messenger,” the job has made him hard-hearted and, as a result, he is the last bachelor in his group of friends. This becomes crystal clear on his 30th birthday, when his friend TUCKER tells Amir he can no longer be the Best Man at his upcoming wedding because he and his bride TINA want someone with better relationship karma.

When Amir returns to his family’s Bay Area home for Thanksgiving, he is reunited with ZARA, his charming and beautiful cousin from Britain who he has not seen in twenty years. The two cousins do not get along right away as Zara is still upset that Amir kissed her during a “play wedding” when they were children. With the prompting of Amir’s parents, Zara hitches a ride with Amir back to LA, only planning to stay a few days. Along the way, Amir tells her about his friends and their bachelorism and she is sympathetic. When she meets them, she surprises everyone, including Amir, by introducing herself as his “girlfriend.” Before long the scam is in full swing as Amir and Zara go on “couples outings” with his friends. She even shows him how to be more sympathetic to his “breakup victims.” Over time, Amir starts to soften from Zara’s influence and perhaps even begins to develop… feelings?

An undercurrent of sexual tension develops between them as the charade comes dangerously close to going too far. Will his friends find out the truth? Will Amir fall for his own cousin?! Or will he become one of his own “victims?”

Find out in KISSING COUSINS!!

This movie was written and directed by Amyn Kaderali. Also check out Amyn’s other short film “Call Center“.

Watch the trailer for Kissing Cousins:

Here’s part 1 of Amyn Kaderali’s interview with DesiYou:

Here’s part 2 of Amyn Kaderali’s interview with DesiYou:

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