The 2012 AMP Music Festival returns to San Diego. The all-day, outdoor music concert takes place on Saturday, November 10, 2012 from 11-8 pm at the Jacob’s Center for Neighborhood Innovation in Market Creek Plaza in San Diego. This year’s lineup includes:
You’ll get an opportunity to see local and regional APA artists perform at a venue with diverse audiences by revitalizing and building a stronger community through the celebration of music and art. You can get tickets here.
The 2012 San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) runs November 1-9, 2012 at the Mission Valley UltraStar Cinemas (7510 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108). As one of the largest film exhibitions of its kind in North America with more than 150 films from 20 countries this year’s Festival features exclusive North American and West coast premieres, screening locations throughout San Diego County, a lifetime tribute to FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH director Chung Chang-wha, and a Gala Awards Dinner.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
Opening Night film on Thursday, November 1 at the North Park Birch Theatre with the award-winning documentary DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’: EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY, about all-American rock band Journey’s search for a new lead singer, and their controversial but utterly spectacular find: a formerly homeless cover-band frontman named Arnel Pineda of the Philippines. Director Ramona Diaz is scheduled to attend.
Centerpiece film on Sunday, November 4 at UltraStar Mission Valley with the powerful narrative film, EDEN, starring Jamie Chung (Hangover 2, Sucker Punch) and Beau Bridges (The Descendants, Brothers & Sisters). EDEN is based on the true story of Chong Kim, a Korean American who was kidnapped into an international sex trafficking ring. Chung, Kim, and director Megan Griffiths are scheduled to attend.
Closing Night film on Sunday, November 9 at UltraStar Mission Valley with the West Coast Premiere of Japanese romantic comedy LOVE STRIKES!. With its nervy Edgar Wright dazzle, LOVE STRIKES! is a romantic comedy for the neurotics, the romantics, and the new media junkies. It’s for the men who want to see the most insecure versions of themselves score, and for the women who think it’s cute when nerdy guys squirm.
San Diego Asian Film Festival expands its screening locations reaching North County and Uptown and slowly becoming a city -and county-wide film festival. For the first time since 2001, five different locations will serve as host to Festival films including an Opening Night at North Park Birch Theater, Taiwanese Film Showcase at University of California San Diego, Cinepolis Del Mar, and Museum of Photographic Arts. The central theater location will be located at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley at Hazard Center.
SDAFF pays tribute to Director Chung Chang-Wha with a Lifetime Achievement award. In 1972, Warner Bros. sought a film to capitalize on America’s excitement for TV’s Green Hornet and Kung Fu. Enter Chung Chang-wha, a 19-year veteran in the Korean film industry turning out spectacular melodramas, swordsplay films, and costume pictures. The result was FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH which, under Warners’ watch, became an international sensation that remained on the North American box office charts for nearly three months. For a foreign production in a xenophobic market, the film was an unprecedented success that precipitated a two-year kung fu craze. Today, it continues to be emulated in films like Kill Bill and The Man with the Iron Fists. Director Chung brought a jolt of energy to Hong Kong (and beyond) with his craft and his cosmopolitan smarts. For his art, for his passion, and for his imprint on world cinema, the San Diego Asian Film Festival is proud to award Chung Chang-wha its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Gala Awards Dinner on Saturday, November 3, at Town & Country Hotel in Mission Valley (500 Hotel Circle North, San Diego, CA), presented by Wells Fargo. An estimated 700 community and business leaders, and celebrities including George Takei, will attend as the Festival announces its top films, plus a live auction with business class tickets on Japan Airlines, and special performances from ALLEGIANCE THE MUSICAL, Culture Shock, and Goh Nakamura. Proceeds benefit REEL VOICES for at-risk youth, and other year-round programs. Scheduled to emcee: comedian Randall Park.
As always, the San Diego Asian Film Festival premieres many of Asia’s hottest films. Notable North American Premieres include NUCLEAR NATION (Berlin Film Festival, Hong Kong International Film Festival), ARCHITECTURE 101 (one of the biggest Korean hits of the year), and CHA CHA FOR TWINS (Best Narrative Film, Taipei Film Festival). Major West Coast Premieres include the latest from the world’s top directors: Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s MEKONG HOTEL, Sion Sono’s THE LAND OF HOPE, Kim Jee-woon’s DOOMSDAY BOOK, and Yoshihiro Nakamura’s CHIPS. SDAFF is also proud to host the West Coast Premieres of some of the most talked-about discoveries on the international festival circuit: APPARITION (Philippines), SLEEPLESS NIGHT (South Korea), HENGE (Japan), LATE SUMMER (USA), MEMORIES LOOK AT ME (China).
You can get tickets to the 2012 San Diego Asian Film Festival here.
Television and film icon George Takei, Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga and Broadway favorite Telly Leung head up the cast of Allegiance. It’s an epic story of love, war and heroism set during the Japanese American internment of World War II. Allegiance follows the story of the Kimura family in the weeks and years following Pearl Harbor, as they are relocated from their farm in Salinas, California to the Heart Mountain internment camp in the rural plains of Wyoming.
Sixty years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a chance meeting forces WWII veteran Sam Kimura (George Takei) to remember his family’s relocation from their California farm to the Heart Mountain internment camp. As they struggle to adjust to their new home, Young Sam (Telly Leung) and his sister Kei (Lea Salonga) find themselves torn between loyalty to their family and allegiance to their country. Their story reflects the deep conflicts of a nation and a people divided, as younger brother Sammy strives to prove his loyalty and patriotism, while older sister Keiko comes to resist their internment and treatment by the government. The Kimura’s conflicts mirror the larger rift between the Japanese American Citizens League, which urged cooperation with the internment and unwavering loyalty to America, and the draft resisters of Heart Mountain, who steadfastly refused to serve a country that had put them in concentration camps.
With its moving score, Allegiance takes audiences on a journey into our nation’s history through the eyes of one American family. This universal story sheds new light upon a dark, under-explored, and wrenching chapter of American history. Through the remembrances of Old Sam, the painful past is revisited, and at long last, redemption and understanding begin to heal decades-old wounds. Allegiance sheds new light upon a dark chapter of American history. One of the first Asian musicals in more than a decade, with a stunning and moving score, Allegiance connects the audience with universal themes of love, family and redemption.
The cast also features Michael K. Lee (Frankie Suzuki), Paolo Montalban (Mike Masaoka), Paul Nakauchi (Tatsuo Kimura) and Allie Trimm (Hannah Campbell) with Katie Boren, Jon Jon Briones, Geno Carr, Karl Josef Co, Marc de la Cruz, MaryAnn Hu, Brandon Joel Maier, Kürt Norby, Ann Sanders, Jill Townsend, Kay Trinidad and Scott Watanabe (Ensemble) and Jennifer Hubilla and Conrad Ricamora (Swings). Directed by Stafford Arima, with music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and book by Marc Acito, Kuo and Lorenzo Thione, the production features choreography by Andrew Palermo and music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by Lynne Shankel. Allegiance runs at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego through October 21, 2012. You can get tickets here.
Allegiance the musical highlights feature these songs:
“Going Places” performed by Telly Leung, Lea Salonga and Ensemble
“Gaman” performed by Lea Salonga, Telly Leung and Ensemble
“Ishi Kara Ishi” performed by George Takei and Lea Salonga
“Higher” performed by Lea Salonga
Since the days of Anna May Wong, Asian American actresses have had a continued presence in cinema, from icons of the Orient to Oscar-nominated actresses to directors and producers behind the camera. As technologies, demographics, and audiences transform, so too do representations and opportunities for Asian American actresses to hone and showcase their art. This panel brings together a legendary professor of Asian American Studies and two actresses who have become familiar faces in film and TV — and who will star together in next year’s Yes, We’re Open.
Panel:
Lynn Chen (Saving Face, Surrogate Valentine)
Sheetal Sheth (Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World, The Trouble with Romance)
Elaine H. Kim (Professor, Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley; Director/writer, Slaying the Dragon: Reloaded)
Moderated by Leeva Chung (Professor Communication Studies University of San Diego
IF you’re going to the 2011 San Diego Asian Film Festival this weekend, be sure to drop by their awards gala. Dress to impress and walk the red carpet with celebrities and filmmakers as we announce the top films of the 2011 festival. Enjoy great food, wine, and top notch entertainment. Here’s the details on the event:
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina (near airport)
1380 Harbor Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92101
5:30 PM Pre-reception, 7 PM Dinner
Hosting this year’s event is comedian Randall Park. He and his wife are getting ready to show you a good time out in San Diego. They’ve got some decisions to make before the gala. (You can also see the real life couple in the Wong Fu Productions short film Too Fast.)
The 2011 San Diego Asian Film Festival (SDAFF) is excited to announce its twelfth season which runs OCTOBER 20-28, 2011 at the Mission Valley UltraStar Cinemas (7510 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108). As one of the largest film exhibitions of its kind in North America, more than 160 films will premiere from 21 countries. More than a hundred filmmakers, actors, and industry guests are scheduled to attend including Kelly Hu (THE SCORPION KING, ALMOST PERFECT), Hong Kong Actor/Singer Edison Chen, Sung Kang (FAST FIVE), Harry Shum Jr (GLEE), IAMME Dance Crew (2011 Winners of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew), CS Lee (DEXTER), and many more.
Highlights include:
Opening night film on Thursday, October 20- ALMOST PERFECT, starring Kelly Hu (scheduled to attend with director Bertha Bay-Sa Pan, and Hong Kong Superstar Edison Chen)
Closing night film on Friday, October 28 with the foodie crowd-pleasing documentary, JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (director David Gelb scheduled to attend)
Annual Music Video Party, BLOWFISH on Friday, October 21, featuring one of the pioneers of the video and DJ mash up, Mike Relm.
Panel on Dance in Film and TV with America’s Best Dance Crew Season 6 2011 Finalists and Winners, Instant Noodles Crew + I.AM.ME Crew (respectively)
Industry Gala Awards Event on Sat, October 22, where pioneer Asian American actress, Nancy Kwan (Flower Drum Song, The World of Suzie Wong) will receive a Lifetime Achievement award.
