ANNUAL REPORT 2011 2012
CAAM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
AND
BOARD CHAIR
THE 30 TH SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
3-4
HIGHLIGHTS
5-6
TELLING THE JAKE SHIMABUKURO STORY
7
FROM
CAAM’S COMMITMENT
TO
TALENT DEVELOPMENT
8-10
CAAM PROJECTS 2011–2012
11-12
FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT OUR SUPPORTERS
13
THANK YOU
TO
14
BOARD
STAFF
AND
MISSION
CAAM
The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) is a non-profit organization
dedicated to presenting stories that convey the richness and diversity of Asian American experiences to the broadest audience possible. We do this by funding, producing, distributing and exhibiting works in film, television and digital media. ABOVE IMAGES: SUMMER PASTURE; WHITE FROG cast members at SFIAAFF (photo by Michael Jeong) COVER IMAGES: (LEFT TO RIGHT) SUMMER PASTURE; MADE IN INDIA; MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL; MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON; (BOTTOM ROW, LEFT TO RIGHT) PRISON DANCER (photo by Andy Kuo); Jake Shimabukuro (photo by Kenni Camota)
01
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND BOARD CHAIR
DEAR FRIENDS We are pleased to provide our annual report detailing the Center for Asian American Media’s activities from 2011 to 2012. We invite you to review the highlights and accomplishments of our public media programs undertaken amid continuing and profound changes to the social and cultural landscape. For instance, the latest U.S. Census results revealed that the Asian American population has grown faster than any other racial group in the country over the last decade. This significant demographic shift underscores an ever-greater national presence of Asian Americans in nearly all sectors of public and cultural life. For us at CAAM, this shift presents many challenges and opportunities in bringing to light the stories of Asian American experiences. In March of 2012, we presented the 30th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Since its inception three decades ago, our festival has grown from a modest debut offering of 13 films to today’s robust showcase of 100 films and numerous live performances, multimedia presentations and interactive events. One of the many outstanding films we featured at this year’s festival was MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON, profiling the first Vietnamese American elected to Congress. Screened as it was in an election year, this documentary helped highlight the rising tide of Asian Americans stepping forward to participate in public service. A recent estimate tallied approximately 3,000 individuals like Joseph Cao serving in elected capacities across the nation. The CAAM-produced documentary about internationally renowned musician Jake Shimabukuro sparked some of the most poignant moments of the festival, with the sold-out world premiere of the film and a heartwarming performance by Jake after the screening. Jake is perhaps the first Asian American whose career and popularity took flight as a direct result of YouTube. Since that fateful time six years ago, many others have taken a similar path and created a phenomenon of Asian Americans using the power of social media to find their own success. Stories like these symbolize triumphs of the Asian American spirit, and CAAM is proud to share them with audiences. However, we remain equally dedicated to portraying the full spectrum of Asian American experiences beyond the stories of achievement and success. Asian Americans belong to a vastly diverse group, and we know we must keep working to tell the various stories of both those communities that are more firmly established and those that are newly emerging (and frequently struggling). We welcome the opportunity to fulfill this responsibility and hope you will join us as we embark on the journey ahead.
Stephen Gong
Dipti Ghosh
Executive Director
Board Chair
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T H E 3 0 T H S A N F R A N C I S C O I N T E R N AT I O N A L A S I A N A M E R I C A N F I L M F E S T I VA L
HIGHLIGHTS | AWARDS
In 2012, CAAM celebrated the landmark 30th anniversary of its San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF). An estimated 25,000 attendees gathered in theaters across San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose to view a dynamic collection of 100 films and videos from 23 countries. SFIAAFF presented 10 world premieres, seven U.S. premieres and 20 San Francisco premieres, and more than half of our screenings were sold out. In addition to high-caliber cinematic works, SFIAAFF offered the opportunity to experience live events, multimedia performances and interactive salons that engendered meaningful connections between audiences and media makers. The festival opened with the world premiere of Quentin Lee’s WHITE FROG, accompanied by all-star cast members Booboo Stewart, B.D. Wong, Harry Shum Jr. and Joan Chen. The CAAM-produced documentary JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS also made its world premiere this year with a sold-out screening and a heartwarming performance by Shimabukuro at the Castro Theatre. Other highlights included a tribute to trailblazing filmmakers Karen Ishizuka and Robert A. Nakamura, a Spotlight on actress/filmmaker Joan Chen, and three symposium-style salons focused on the creative domains of culinary arts, interactive gaming and music. The festival concluded with the sold-out world premiere of PRISON DANCER: THE INTERACTIVE WEB MUSICAL, an electrifying mix of live performance, choreographed dancing and visual projections.
WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S JURIED COMPETITIONS AND AUDIENCE AWARDS
NARRATIVE COMPETITION 2012 COMCAST® BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE 1 IN THE FAMILY, directed by Patrick Wang DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION 2012 BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 2 A LOT LIKE YOU, directed by Eliaichi Kimaro SFIAAFF 2012 EMERGING FILMMAKER AWARD 1 IN THE FAMILY, directed by Patrick Wang VERIZON® AUDIENCE AWARDS BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE 3 THE CRUMBLES, directed by Akira Boch BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 4 NO LOOK PASS, directed by Melissa Johnson 2012 LONI DING AWARD IN SOCIAL ISSUE DOCUMENTARY 5 MAKING NOISE IN SILENCE, directed by Mina T. Son READY, SET, PITCH! Winner: S. Leo Chiang
CAAM
1
2
03
3
4
5
GUESTS WHO GRACED THE 30TH SFIAAFF
ACTORS Joan Chen
WHITE FROG & SAVING FACE
Lynn Chen
YES, WE’RE OPEN, NICE GIRLS CREW & SAVING FACE
Michelle Krusiec Cherylene Lee Parry Shen Sheetal Sheth Harry Shum Jr. Booboo Stewart Kimberly-Rose Wolter B.D. Wong
NICE GIRLS CREW & SAVING FACE SCENES FROM A MEMOIR WITH CHERYLENE LEE YES, WE’RE OPEN YES, WE’RE OPEN & NICE GIRLS CREW GLEE THE TWILIGHT SAGA KNOTS LAW AND ORDER DIRECTORS | PRODUCERS
S. Leo Chiang
MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON
Tanuj Chopra
NICE GIRLS CREW
Michael Kang
KNOTS
Christine Kwon
NICE GIRLS CREW
Quentin Lee
WHITE FROG
H.P. Mendoza
I AM A GHOST
Robert Nakamura and Tad Nakamura Theresa Navarro Yuriko Gamo Romer Rich Wong Alice Wu
NAKAMURA FAMILY TRIBUTE & JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS YES, WE’RE OPEN MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL YES, WE’RE OPEN SAVING FACE ARTISTS AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Neil Armstrong Jeff Chang Jenova Chen Michael Cheng HOTTUB
Tour DJ for Jay-Z Institute for Diversity in the Arts + Committee on Black Performing Arts at Stanford University Game designer (Cloud, Flow, Flower, Journey) Game designer (The Last Sleeper, God of War 2) Disco rap band
Dino Ignacio
Artist and designer, Electronic Arts
Beverly Kim
TOP CHEF (season 9)
Suyin Looui
Game designer and producer (Hey Baby)
Preeti Mistry
TOP CHEF (season 6), Juhu Beach Club DOCUMENTARY SUBJECTS
Joseph Cao Sensei Keiko Fukuda Jake Shimabukuro
MR. CAO GOES TO WASHINGTON MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS
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TELLING THE JAKE SHIMABUKURO STORY
JAKE
SHIMABUKURO
+FOUR STRINGS 05
Tad Nakamura is Director of the highly anticipated JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS. THIS INTIMATE DOCUMENTARY GIVES VIEWERS A SINGULAR GLIMPSE INTO JAKE SHIMABUKURO, UKULELE VIRTUOSO, BUT ALSO JAKE, THE YOUNG BOY WHO GREW UP IN A MODEST APARTMENT TO A SINGLE MOTHER AND UNSUSPECTINGLY ROSE TO INTERNATIONAL STARDOM. TWO-AND-A-HALF
YEARS IN THE MAKING, THE FILM HAD ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT
TO A SOLD-OUT AUDIENCE IN JAKE’S HOMETOWN OF
HONOLULU, HAWAII,
AT THE
SFIAAFF IN MARCH 2012. IT SUBSEQUENTLY PLAYED HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER 2012.
THE FILM WILL AIR NATIONALLY ON PBS IN MAY 2013. TAD SHARES SOME OF HIS INSIGHTS ABOUT FINDING THE STORY, PIVOTAL MOMENTS IN MAKING THE MOVIE AND HIS INFLUENCES AS A FILMMAKER.
PIVOTAL MOMENTS
I think in this specific project I was really utilizing Jake’s relationship to Hawaii and trying to get a contrast of Jake’s world back home with his family—kind of almost an everyday guy versus going on the road where he’s celebrated as a celebrity or at least a famous musician. I think my parents really helped me see that contrast and [encouraged me] to really focus on Hawaii as a place of home and not necessarily the vacation paradise that it’s usually portrayed as.
One of the initial pivotal moments was our first shoot with Jake in the San Francisco Bay Area at Madera Elementary School. I had never met him before or seen him play live, and I think going into the project you have preconceived notions of what type of artist he is through articles and YouTube videos. But seeing him interact with a room full of elementary kids really changed my perspective. You realize that it’s not just his skill on the instrument but his personality, his stage presence and the way he relates with people that really shine through.
INFLUENCE AS A FILMMAKER
Another pivotal moment was when the Japanese tsunami happened. We had heard about the effect of Jake's music on people around the globe, but it wasn't until we shot Jake in Japan after the tsunami that we were able to witness the power of his music. Previous to that trip, the only difficult times that Jake had talked about were in the past, specifically his childhood. Most of the film's story at that point was about Jake's climb to fame, the success of his own music career.
My parents, Karen Ishizuka and Robert Nakamura, have totally shaped me as a filmmaker. This was actually the first film that I didn’t work with them side by side. Because of them, I want to make films that are relevant for the Asian American audience or community. Most of my films have a theme of community and family. The reason why I make films is to document that, and the reason why I got into filmmaking in general was because of my parents.
Jake performs at Madera Elementary School.
Tad Nakamura, Director of JAKE SHIMABUKURO: LIFE ON FOUR STRINGS, and his parents at SFIAAFF. Photo by Jessica Chan.
Jake plays for a full house at SFIAAFF in 2012. Photo by Kenni Camota.
FINDING THE STORY He’s actually more of a mystery than most people think. I tried to present Jake as an artist versus just a YouTube sensation and to get inside a musician’s head to learn what inspires the sounds they make. We drew inspiration from films like IT MIGHT GET LOUD and really liked the fact that it talked about the musicianship. STILL BILL on Bill Withers was another big inspiration for me because only about half of the film was on his past career and the other half was about what the character was going through during the time of the filming.
I feel like [this project] was a great opportunity, kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, for me because on one hand CAAM provided me with this perfect next step to take as a filmmaker. Because it was my first feature film or hour-long film made for broadcast, it was really intimidating and a good next step, but working with Producer Don Young and knowing that I had the support of CAAM made it a lot easier. l
The other challenge was the fact that Jake travels so much that it’s not like we could schedule a shoot with him whenever we wanted. He’s on the road 10 months out of the year, so we usually had to either catch him when he was in the Bay Area or L.A. or had to go to Hawaii during the few weeks he was actually home.
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2012 CAAM FELLOWS
C A A M’ S C O M M I TM E N T TO TA L E N T D E V E LO PM E N T
Esy Casey, James T. Yee Fellow Mentor Ramona Diaz
CAAM
(DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’: EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY, THE LEARNING)
Johanna Lee Mentor Steve Tao (THE THREE MUSKETEERS, THE PRACTICE)
believes in building a strong community of professionals and young, emerging talent to fulfill our goal of nurturing the next generation of storytellers and cultivating a vital network that supports the entire film and media community. In CAAM’s 32-year history, we have supported and nurtured hundreds of talented media makers, including Konrad Aderer, Antara Bhardwaj Brahma, Arthur Dong, Jessica Chen Drammeh, Yunah Hong, Freida Lee Mock, Farheen Umar and Christopher Woon. Many were part of our James T. Yee Fellowship Program, named in honor of CAAM’s founding Executive Director. Since 2002, the James T. Yee Fellowship has offered mentorship and funding for emerging documentary filmmakers with films intended for public television. In 2010, CAAM expanded its talent development initiatives to provide a full range of filmmaker support. One of the only programs of its kind in the nation dedicated to diverse talent development, our newly named James T. Yee Talent Development Program now offers these services: - CAAM Fellowship Program for narrative film professionals, directed in conjunction with independent producer Karin Chien.
Harry Yoon
- Loni Ding Award for Social Issue Documentary Short, a $1,000 award given to promising short filmmakers at our annual film festival. - Media workshops like the Himalayan Youth Voices Project, a media literacy program for Bhutanese, Nepalese and Tibetan youth in the Bay Area.
Harry Yoon Mentors Lisa Lassek (THE AVENGERS), Troy Takaki (DIARY OF A WIMPY KID) and Mark Yoshikawa (THE TREE OF LIFE)
Harry Yoon, Editor Fellow multiple projects While talent and hard work surely factor into one’s career success, Harry Yoon knows networking is a practice that can’t be overlooked. Because of his CAAM fellowship, Harry had a chance to meet one-on-one with three exceptional editors working at the top of their craft: Troy Takaki, Lisa Lassek and Mark Yoshikawa. The CAAM Fellowship Program fostered lasting personal connections for Harry, and he says he now looks forward to a time when he can share his own experience with the next generation of filmmakers. *** “Because of the informal, self-directed nature of the mentorship, I learned things from Troy, Lisa and Mark about a life in editing that went way beyond tactical career decisions. These working, successful Asian American editors modeled in very tangible ways what my life could be in the coming years —in and out of the cutting room. So while ‘who I know’ may help me find that next open door, ‘how I know’ them gives me the inspiration to keep looking.”
THE PIT With the knowledgeable advice of her mentor, Johanna Lee learned not only how to write a great script but also how to write something that’s ready for the marketplace. Over the course of two months, Johanna worked with television executive Steve Tao to develop her pitch idea into a solid script. The CAAM Fellowship Program, Johanna says, provided the structure for an extremely helpful mentorship experience that she would definitely recommend to her peers.
Johanna Lee
*** “We all need mentors to help us get to the next level in our careers. This program was very successful at making the initial connection, and nurturing that connection between mentor and mentee.”
Ben Wang, James T. Yee Fellow
The landscape of Asian America is constantly changing, and CAAM understands the need to keep building our connections to the diverse nationalities that make up this population. An important part of CAAM’s mission is to present authentic voices from all these communities. CAAM works to strike a balance between staying true to our community-building and public broadcasting roots while also adopting new technologies such as crowd funding and crowdsourcing.
BREATHIN’: THE EDDY ZHENG STORY For Ben Wang, being able to consult with experienced filmmakers Spencer Nakasako and David Grabias during his CAAM Fellowship yielded advice that was well tailored to his needs as an emerging filmmaker. With Spencer’s guidance, Ben discovered how to approach a project with vast amounts of footage, develop a plan for the logging process, and move toward a first assembly of his film. By drawing on David’s knowledge of incarceration and deportation, Ben determined key questions for an interview with his documentary subject at San Quentin State Prison. From these discussions, Ben says he gained a great deal of insight and different perspectives that all benefited his project.
Moving ahead, CAAM looks forward to leading the way as a responsive champion of the Asian American creative community and its wide scope of rising voices.
Ben Wang
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Ben Wang, James T. Yee Fellow Mentors David Grabias (SENTENCED HOME) and Spencer Nakasako (A.K.A. DON BONUS)
Johanna Lee, Scriptwriting Fellow
- Ready, Set, Pitch!—a live pitch session where media makers make their case to a live panel of judges and an audience. Five projects so far have raised more than $100,000. At the core of our James T. Yee Talent Development Program, we connect and build on the one-on-one relationships between emerging talent and veterans in the field. Young makers have the rare opportunity to learn their craft firsthand and form lasting associations with their mentors.
Geoff Quan Mentors Karin Chien (CIRCUMSTANCE) and Gina Kwon (ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW)
*** “I have appreciated the holistic nature of the fellowship—instead of just one mentor, I have been mentored by two filmmakers, received support from CAAM staff, and also gotten to know and share work and ideas with Esy, the other James T. Yee Fellow. As we continue to work on the project, I look forward to continued mentorship and collaboration with our incredible team.”
CAAM PROJECTS 2011-2012
DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS
AMERICA BY THE NUMBERS WITH MARIA HINOJOSA: CLARKSTON, GEORGIA By Maria Hinojosa and Martha Spanninger Broadcast 2012, Funded 2010 Produced and hosted by award-winning investigative journalist Maria Hinojosa, AMERICA BY THE NUMBERS visits one of the country’s most surprisingly diverse communities. A small town of 7,500 people that was 90 percent white in the 1980s, Clarkston is now home to residents from more than 40 countries who speak more than 60 languages and dialects; the white population today is less than 14 percent. This special explores lessons about democracy and coexistence that a divided nation can learn from its newest citizens.
AMERICAN ARAB By Usama Alshaibi Funded 2012 It's impossible to lay low as an Arab in America today. If you look the part, you are suspicious by association. Terrorists could be anywhere. You’re compelled to defend yourself, your people or your religion. But why should you apologize for acts that have nothing to do with you? In AMERICAN ARAB, Iraqi-born director Usama Alshaibi takes a hard look at the contradictions of Arab identity in post-9/11 America, weaving his own life’s journey and “coming-of-Arab” experiences into the life stories of several unique subjects. From Chicago to small towns in Illinois and Iowa, Usama explores the values, passions and hopes of his fellow Arab Americans as he struggles to make peace with the contradictions of his chosen homeland.
AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS By Grace Lee Funded 2011 AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS is a documentary about a 96-year-old Chinese American philosopher in Detroit who has devoted her life to the next American revolution and is a lightning rod for scholars, activists, artists and youth inspired to probe these questions as well. The film tracks her political and private evolution and shows how she emerged with a radically simple philosophy: Revolution is not an act of aggression, but a series of living conversations. As the story unfolds, we see Grace’s ideas materialize and how, through grassroots leadership, Detroit becomes a laboratory for national change.
BREATHIN’: THE EDDY ZHENG STORY By Ben Wang (James T. Yee Fellowship Project) Funded 2011 After serving over 20 years behind bars for a robbery he committed at age 16, Chinese American community leader Eddy Zheng now faces deportation to China. Released from prison in 2007, Eddy has dedicated his life to preventing youth violence and delinquency through his work at many San Francisco Bay Area programs and organizations. BREATHIN’: THE EDDY ZHENG STORY is a documentary about one of the most visible Asian American leaders to emerge from the prison system. Providing a complex and honest portrayal of its subject, the film highlights a critical human rights issue facing the U.S. today: the alarming increase of Asian immigrants and refugees being incarcerated and deported.
DON’T LOSE YOUR SOUL By Jim Choi and Chihiro Wimbush Broadcast 2012 DON’T LOSE YOUR SOUL is a portrait of bassist Mark Izu and drummer Anthony Brown, two founders of the Asian American Jazz Movement. The film traces their personal histories and the origin of their partnership: forged in the crucible of the ethnic identity movements of the ‘70s, through the political force of their band United Front, and their seminal tribute to the Japanese internment experience, Big Bands Behind Barbed Wire. Their musical journey culminates at Sanju, honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Asian American Jazz Festival and bringing back one of their musical heroes, George Yoshida, for one electric night of performance at Yoshi's.
HAFU: A FILM ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES OF MIXED-RACE JAPANESE LIVING IN JAPAN By Megumi Nishikura Funded 2011 With an ever-increasing movement of people between places in this transnational age, there is a mounting number of mixed-race people in Japan—some visible, others not. HAFU is the unfolding journey of discovery into the intricacies of mixed-race Japanese and their multicultural experience in modern-day Japan. The film follows five hafus—the Japanese term for people who are half-Japanese–who by default of living in Japan are forced to explore what it means to be multiracial and multicultural in a nation that proudly proclaims itself as mono-ethnic. For some hafus, Japan is the only home they know. For others, living in Japan is an entirely new experience, and yet others are caught somewhere between two worlds. Ultimately, this film is the universal story of individuals longing to be accepted for who they are.
JEEPNEY By Esy Casey (James T. Yee Fellowship Project) Funded 2011 JEEPNEY visualizes the richly diverse cultural and social climate of the Philippines through its most popular form of mass transportation: vividly decorated ex-WWII military jeeps. Unlike mass transportation in many parts of the world, jeepneys are not a government service but are individually operated by the drivers, who manifest their identity, values and dreams in its painting and decoration. The stories of a jeepney driver, artist and passenger take place amidst nationwide protest against oil price hikes that pressure drivers to work overseas to earn a living. Lavishly shot and cut to the rhythm of the streets, JEEPNEY provides an enticing vehicle through which the rippling effects of globalization can be felt.
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CAAM PROJECTS 2011-2012
(CONTINUED)
DOCUMENTARY PROJECTS MADE IN INDIA By Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha Broadcast 2012, Film Festival 2011, Funded 2009 MADE IN INDIA is a film about the human experiences behind the phenomenon of "outsourcing" surrogacy to India. It follows the journey of an infertile American couple, an Indian surrogate and the business of reproductive tourism that brings them together. Weaving together these personal stories within the context of a growing international industry, the film explores a complicated clash of families in crisis, assisted reproductive technologies and personal choice from a global perspective.
MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL By Yuriko Romer Film Festival 2012, Funded 2011 Using rare archival footage, intimate interviews and plenty of on-the-mat action, director Yuriko Gamo Romer eloquently brings to life the inspiring story of a remarkable woman and judo master. At a time when women went from childhood home to wife and homemaker, Keiko Fukuda made an unpopular choice and took a different path, saying, “This [Judo] was my marriage…this is when my life destiny was set.” MRS. JUDO: BE STRONG, BE GENTLE, BE BEAUTIFUL beautifully showcases the life of Sensei Fukuda, presenting her as not only a pioneer for women but as an inspiration to us all.
NINOY AQUINO AND THE RISE OF PEOPLE POWER By Tom Coffman Broadcast 2011, Film Festival 2010, Funded 2009 Benigno S. “Ninoy” Aquino II was the boy wonder of Philippine politics until the object of his criticism, Ferdinand Marcos, threw him in prison. There, Aquino became a deeply reflective and spiritual person who changed the course of history. Where Gandhi used non-violence to drive out the colonizer and Dr. King used it to fight for civil rights, Aquino adapted non-violence to overthrow national dictatorships. The Philippine uprising in the wake of his 1983 assassination began a global wave of pro-democracy movements that continues today.
OUTLAWED IN PAKISTAN By Habiba Nosheen Funded 2011 In parts of Pakistan today, women are perceived as men’s property and are believed to embody the honor of their families. Local tribal assemblies often declare a woman kari, meaning “black female” or “tainted woman,” when she marries someone of her own will or rumors have spread of a woman acting “dishonorably.” To restore the family’s honor, the family or tribe must kill these women. OUTLAWED IN PAKISTAN is a documentary about the deeply entrenched tradition of honor killings in Pakistan. The film follows two strong women who narrowly escaped death at the hands of their families and are now struggling to find justice and begin new lives.
SOMA GIRLS By Alexia Prichard and Nandini Sikand Broadcast 2012, Funded 2009 SOMA GIRLS explores the lives of girls growing up in a hostel in Kolkata, India. From age 6 to 17, the film follows these intelligent, funny and high-energy girls as they overcome extraordinary circumstances to lead ordinary lives.
SUMMER PASTURE By Lynn True and Nelson Walker Broadcast 2012, Film Festival 2011, Funded 2008 SUMMER PASTURE chronicles one summer with a young Tibetan family amidst a period of great uncertainty. Locho, wife Yama and their infant daughter spend the summer months in eastern Tibet’s Zachukha grasslands, an area known as Wu-Zui or “5-Most,” the highest, coldest, poorest, largest and most remote county in Sichuan Province, China. The story of a family at a crossroads, SUMMER PASTURE takes place at a critical time in Locho and Yama’s lives, as they question their future as nomads. With their pastoral traditions confronting rapid modernization, Locho and Yama must reconcile the challenges that threaten to drastically reshape their existence.
TWO CHILDREN OF THE RED MOSQUE By Hemal Trivedi Funded 2011
OPEN SEASON By Mark Tang and Lu Lippold Broadcast 2011, Film Festival 2011, Funded 2005 In the fall of 2005, 36-year-old Chai Vang was convicted of first-degree murder and condemned to serve the rest of his remaining life in prison after shooting and killing six hunters in northern Wisconsin. It was an incident that created both shock and tension within Minnesota’s Asian community, where Vang and his family worked and lived. Was this a case of a maniac, vengeful killer or self-defense? In his newest documentary film, Twin Cities native Mark Tang hopes to illuminate background on the Vang trial to encourage discussion within local communities.
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Amid suicide bombings and U.S. drone attacks in northwestern Pakistan, 12-year-olds Zarina and Talha are pursuing different dreams. After attending madrassahs of the Red Mosque, they make different choices that promise to define their adult lives. Zarina recently escaped the madrassah, and her struggle to attend secular school and avoid marriage stands opposed to Talha’s journey over the next two years. Their stories personalize the hard choices facing modern Pakistanis living in rural areas, where ongoing ideological battles between fundamentalist and moderate Muslims are shaping Pakistan’s future.
CAAM PROJECTS 2011-2012
INNOVATION FUND PROJECTS
CHINAFORNIA By Ellie Lee Film Festival 2012 (READY, SET, PITCH! Panel Participant), Funded 2012 America, 2018 – Unable to pay the $10 trillion it owes to China, the U.S. comes up with a plan to erase the debt: It gives China the state of California. “Chinafornia” is born, and Chinese Vice Premier Jidong Chen is placed in charge. It will be up to Chen—who has studied California through meticulous viewings of BAYWATCH —to manage the takeover and the chaos that follows. And it will be up to reporter Jasper Davenport, “America's Most Watched & Most Sexy Newsman,” to force Mr. Chen to answer to the people of Chinafornia. Can Chinese determination and American creativity combine to build a better world? Or will Chinese stubbornness and American bone-headedness form the perfect cocktail for a state even more screwed up than California already is?
EMPLOYED IDENTITY By Bao Nguyen Funded 2012 EMPLOYED IDENTITY explores the phenomenon of Vietnamese abroad returning to Vietnam, the country of their parents’ birth, to find both themselves and successful careers. Today, many of these Vietnamese abroad, or Viet Kieu, are leaving the recessive economies of their adopted homelands to seek new opportunities in the growing economy of Vietnam. This move allows them to reconnect with their “homeland” while connecting them to relatives who never immigrated to America. The series touches upon a range of topics such as identity, unemployment, minority portrayal in entertainment, familial relationships, and the emerging art and film scene in Vietnam.
VERSES IN EXILE By Anida Ali and Masahiro Sugano Funded 2012 VERSES IN EXILE paints a portrait of an uncompromised man who spent his entire life locked away in the American prison complex, only to find freedom physically and creatively in Cambodia—ironically, where he was forced into exile. Kosal Khiev is one of 397,000 people deported from America in 2011. VERSES IN EXILE traces his journey from prisoner in America to world-class poet in Cambodia. This creative web series captures Kosal’s indelible struggle to answer the question, “How do you survive when you belong nowhere?” Exiled to a country his family fled, Kosal stands alone as he steps into freedom.
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FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT
FINANCIALS I N C O M E & E X P E N S E S A N A LY S I S For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 *Financial statements and Form 990s available upon request
SUPPORT & REVENUE Government Awards
99,750
Foundation Grants
230,750
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
1,509,545
Corporate Support
97,512
In-kind Contributions
287,532
Contributions & Memberships
74,770
Film Distribution
87,187
Festival Ticket Sales
203,000
Other
15,202
Total
2,605,248
3.8% 8.9%
3.7%
2.9% 3.3% 7.8% 0.6%
EXPENSES
11
Digital Media
202,242
Public Television
592,805
Media Fund
365,015
Festival
985,416
Special Productions
13,158
Film Distribution
100,939
Administration
223,489
Fundraising
184,261
Total
2,667,325
7.6%
0.5% 3.8% 8.4% 6.9%
57.9% ASSET CHANGES
30-SEPT-2012
30-SEPT-2011
Cash & Cash Equivalents
419,237
332,245
Accounts Receivable
725,283
852,344
Prepaid Expenses
15,254
30,320
Property & Equipment
17,318
23,672
Investments
377,717
377,717
Notes Receivable
418,084
418,084
Accounts Payable
40,280
135,880
Grants Payable
344,551
404,551
Other Liabilities
30,188
Unrestricted Net Assets
1,147,953
1,098,973
Temporarily Restricted Net Assets
409,921
394,978
Total Net Assets
1,557,874
1,493,951
11.0%
22.2% 13.7% 36.9%
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THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS We are grateful for the generous support of the following foundations, government entities, partners, members and donors. Contributions received from October 1, 2011–September 30, 2012.
PUBLIC SUPPORT
PATRON
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Grants for the Arts, San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund National Endowment for the Arts
Christine Chen Jason Cheung Doug Chin, in Memory of Janice Sakamoto Derek Chung David and Cheryl Jackson Takuji and Harumi Kasamatsu Russell and Sherlyn Leong Jennie Lew and Cary Fong Pamela Matsuoka Dale Minami Alex Randolph Arthur Rothstein Dr. Marvin Sommer Victoria S. Taketa Diane Tokugawa Edward Wong Bryan Yagi Steven Yang Erik Young Alon and Margo Yu
FOUNDATION SUPPORT
Asian Pacific Fund Cal Humanities Creative Work Fund The Koret Foundation The San Francisco Foundation The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Zellerbach Family Foundation CORPORATE SUPPORT
Comcast Consulate General of Canada Cooper, White & Cooper Japan Center Malls Pacific Islanders in Communications Recology San Francisco Tobacco Free Project SoundTracking The University of San Francisco Center for the Pacific Rim Verizon VISIONARY GOLD
Walter Hansell VISIONARY SILVER
Denis Bouvier Bill Imada Roger Kuo Mona Lisa Yuchengco ADVOCATE
Dipti Ghosh and Meggy Gotuaco Johnnie D. Giles Kathy Im Myong Leigh Ann Sung-Ruckstuhl and John R. Ruckstuhl BENEFACTOR
Ravi Chandra, M.D. Desmond D. Chin Rana Cho and Matt Small Jerry Hiura, Pres. of CATS and Lucia Cha Ken Ikeda Bernadette Kim and Len Christensen David and Linda Lei Karen Solidum France Viana Susan Willemsz-Geeroms DIRECTOR
Lalit Balchandani Yi-Lun Ding Philomena King Peter R. McGrath and Han Y. Wang Robert Nishi Vincent Pan Leroy and Claudia Quan Christine Tsai Jean Tsien Calvin and Emma Yee
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Susan Parini and Stefan Gruenwedel Frances Pomperada Jeanette Roan Indigo Som and Donna Ozawa Yu Tsai Tai TisBest Philanthropy Janet Tom Wayne Wada Raymond and Kay Woon Daniel Yu Phil Yu Lin Yuan Helen Zia and Lia Shigemura Mike Zimmerman
In addition, we would like to express our gratitude to the many Members and Donors at the Friend, Student and Senior levels.
SUPPORTER
Anonymous Asian Law Caucus, INC Christopher Au and Cindy Lee Kathryn Chan Andrew Chih-Liang Chang Michael Chao Jennifer Chu Laurie Coyle Danita Delce Maria Fedel Thomas K. Fujisaka Robert Gagnon Kay Gamo Leslie Griep Cari Gushiken Aaron Herskowitz Frederick Ignacio In memory of Janice Sakamoto Don Joe Masa Jow Liz Keim Arlene Kimata Larry Kitagawa Ms. Donna Kotake Bonnie Kwong Willis Lai Monica Z. Lam Stephen Lawson Matthew Ledesma Francis Lee Hatty Lee Michael Lee Claudia Leung Felicia Lowe Susan McCabe Harry Mok Janet Nagamine Stephen Naventi Edmund W. Ow
We regret any errors or omissions. Please contact 415.863.0814 x102 for corrections.
CAAM BOARD + STAFF
BOARD|STAFF BOARD
Dipti Ghosh David Lei Johnnie Giles Myong Leigh
CHAIR PRESIDENT VICE CHAIR SECRETARY TREASURER
Christine Chen Rana Cho Ken Ikeda Kathy Im Bill Imada Philomena King Roger Kuo Konrad Ng Susie Pak Ann Sung-Ruckstuhl Jean Tsien France Viana Mona Lisa Yuchengco
STAFF
Davin Agatep Miel Alegre Elizabeth Choi Cherie Colmenares Kim Garcia Stephen Gong Lui Gonzales Michael Kwan Christine Kwon Hernan Lavin Debbie Ng Masashi Niwano Ellen Park Sapana Sakya Kar Yin Tham Donald Young
PROGRAM ASSOCIATE DEVELOPMENT & MEMBERSHIP MANAGER DISTRIBUTION SALES ASSOCIATE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE PROJECT MANAGER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FINANCE DIRECTOR DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER FESTIVAL MANAGING DIRECTOR OFFICE MANAGER DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FESTIVAL & EXHIBITIONS DIRECTOR MEDIA FUND MANAGER PUBLIC MEDIA DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS
ANNUAL REPORT CREDITS
EDITORS: Stephen Gong, Debbie Ng and Cherie Colmenares PRODUCTION: Cherie Colmenares DESIGN: Sharon B채den | badendesign@mac.com
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In 2011-2012, CAAM
funded a diverse spectrum of projects whose producers represent 13 different ethnicities and nationalities from within the Asian American community. awarded $95,000 in funding to media makers and filmmakers from across the country for broadcast projects as well as online projects utilizing new media tools. presented 6 hours of public television programming, reaching roughly 7 million viewers nationwide. distributed 509 titles through our Educational Distribution program, reaching thousands of individuals, students, groups and institutions. exhibited 100 films over an 11-day span at the 30th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose.
145 Ninth Street, Suite 350 San Francisco, CA 94103
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