BOSTON CALL TO ACTION
ASIAN AMERICAN
FILM FESTIVAL OCT. 20–23, 2016
OVER 25 FILMS MEET FILMMAKERS & ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS
BAAFF.ORG
Tufts Medical Center Medical Center IS ATufts PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE
Boston American BostonAsian Asian American Film FilmFestival Festival
Tufts Medical Center has a along Tufts Medical Center has long of working closely with historyhistory of working closely with Chinatown greater BostonBoston Chinatown andand greater communities. BostonBoston AsianAsian communities. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Located in the heart of Chinatown, we are dedicated to meeting the we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our neighbors. needs of our neighbors.
Asian Pediatric Asian Pediatric and and Adolescent Clinic Adolescent Clinic 617-636-1338 617-636-1338 Our Primary Care Physicians Our Primary Care Physicians are accepting new patients are accepting new patients 617-636-8777
617-636-8777
NARRATIVE FILM DOCUMENTARY FILM SHORTS PROGRAM COMMUNITY PANEL
TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 Welcome 03 Thanks to our Supporters 06 About BAAFF & Venues 07 Line Up At-A-Glance 09 Good Luck Soup 11 Tyrus 12 Shorts: Roots & Reflections 13 Front Cover 15 Panel: Asian Americans On Stage & Screen: Answering the Call to Action 16 Shorts: Be True 17 Right Footed 19 Comfort 21 Bad Rap 23 Shorts: It's Complicated 25 Breathin': The Eddy Zheng Story 27 The Tiger Hunter 28 14: Dred Scott, Wong Kim Ark & Vanessa Lopez
WELCOME Dear Friends, The Asian American population is currently the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, but voter turnout is shockingly low and Asian Americans are sidelined by the political scene. As we celebrate Boston Asian American Film Festival's 8th season, we hope our films serve as an inspiration. Our theme this year "Call to Action" reflects the need in our society for changemakers and civic action--take part and let our voices be heard! The festival kicks off with the Boston premiere of Pamela Tom's Tyrus, a documentary that focuses on the life of the pioneering Chinese American visual artist and Disney legend Tyrus Wong. In the Centerpiece film, Comfort, director William Lu delivers the perfect date movie as we follow the inner struggles of the two leads. Closing the festival is Lena Khan's The Tiger Hunter, a comedy about achieving your dreams despite all obstacles. Our line-up also features Jessica Cox, disability rights advocate, who shares her incredible story of living and flying without arms, in Right Footed. Anchoring our It's Complicated shorts program is Halmoni, the journey of an undocumented immigrant rights activist, Ju Hong. A leader and advocate in prison reform and youth violence prevention, Eddy Zheng in Breathin': The Eddy Zheng Story fights to make a positive and lasting impact in our society and in the community. Whatever our own struggles are, we can all make a change in our lives by our own "Call to Action." Our individual actions will collectively further and strengthening the AAPI community. A huge shoutout to our wonderful sponsors, supporters and staff, whose dedication and hard work these past several months have allowed us to build a program full of stories that we hope will inspire you to find your own "Call to Action."
29 Acknowledgements Susan Chinsen Festival Director
Connie Y. Chan Associate Festival Director
1 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
S o u St ho uCt ho vCeo v e
Community Health Center Community Health Center
The Premier Asian Community Health Center of Massachusetts The Premier Asian Community Health Center of Massachusetts 麻州首屈一指亞裔社區醫療中心 麻州首屈一指亞裔社區醫療中心
South Cove Supports Proudly Supports AARW and the uth Cove Proudly AARW and the Boston Asian American Film Festival Boston Asian American Film Festival CLINIC LOCATIONS
LINIC LOCATIONS 885CWashington St., Boston, MA 02111, 617-482-7555 Quincy, MA617-482-7555 02171, 617-318-3300 885 Washington435 St.,Hancock Boston,St.,MA 02111, 88 Holmes St., Quincy, MA 02171, 617-318-3200 435 Hancock St., Quincy, MA 02171, 617-318-3300 145 South St., Boston, MA 02111, 617-521-6730 88 Holmes St., Quincy, MA 02171, 617-318-3200
145 South St., Boston, MA 02111, 617-521-6730 http://www.scchc.org
http://www.scchc.org
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
3 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
FESTIVAL SPONSORS
MEDIA PARTNERS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
BAAFF IS A PRODUCTION OF ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE WORKSHOP This program is supported in part by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, a local agency which is funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, administrated by the Mayor's Office of Arts + Culture.
4 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
5 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
ABOUT BAAFF & VENUES
ABOUT BAAFF (BAAFF.ORG) Boston Asian American Film Festival (BAAFF) empowers Asian Americans through film by showcasing Asian American experiences and serving as a resource to filmmakers and the Greater Boston Community. BAAFF is a production of the Asian American Resource Workshop. The BAAFF committee plans and supports an annual festival, the spring Short Waves program and other year-round activities related to media. Get involved, join the BAAFF family and have some fun! OTHER WAYS TO CONTACT US
Email us: baaff@aarw.org
Follow us: twitter.com/bostonaafilm
Like us: facebook.com/baaff
Youtube: BostonAAFF
VENUES (Only main venues listed here, check BAAFF.ORG for more information.)
BRATTLE THEATRE 40 Brattle Street, Cambridge
PARAMOUNT CENTER 559 Washington Street, Boston
Take the MBTA Red Line to Harvard Square. Use the Brattle Street exit through the bus way. When you reach the top of the stairs, you will see Brattle Street ahead to the right.
Take the MBTA Red Line to Downtown Crossing, Orange Line to Chinatown, Green Line to Boylston, or Silver Line to Boylston. Paramount Center is near The Opera House.
6 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
LINE UP AT-A-GLANCE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18 7:00PM GOOD LUCK SOUP Free Community Screening @ Paramount Center / Q&A with director Matthew Hashiguchi THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20
7:30PM TYRUS [Opening Night Film] East Coast Premiere @ Brattle Theater / Q&A with director Pamela Tom
6:30PM COMFORT [Centerpiece Film] East Coast Premiere @ Paramount Center / Q&A with director William Lu & lead actor Chris Dinh 9:15PM BAD RAP Boston Premiere @ Paramount Center / Preceded by Kite Fight and Go Back / Q&A with director Salima Koroma (Bad Rap), members of band, Awaaz Do (Kite Fight), and LuDow (Go Back) SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 7:00PM ROOTS & REFLECTIONS SHORTS Life of Zili / A Children's Song / The Last Tip / Up in the Clouds / Angels and Demons / Forever, Chinatown @ Paramount Center / Q&A with various filmmakers 9:30PM FRONT COVER Boston Premiere @ Paramount Center
1:00PM IT'S COMPLICATED SHORTS Empty Spaces / Boxer / Song on Canvas / Unspoken / Pata / Harry on the Clouds / The Waltz / Halmoni @ Paramount Center / Q&A with various filmmakers 3:00PM BREATHIN': THE EDDY ZHENG STORY Boston Premiere @ Paramount Center / Q&A with Eddy Zheng
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 11:30AM ASIAN AMERICANS ON STAGE & SCREEN: ANSWERING THE CALL TO ACTION Free Community panel featuring Michael Tow, Salima Koroma, Elisa Choi, and Chris Hastings @ Paramount Center 1:30PM BE TRUE SHORTS Got it Maid / Encore / The Monkey King is in Town / Fanny Pack / B‡ / Gaysians / Pamanhikan @ Paramount Center / Q&A with various filmmakers
5:00PM THE TIGER HUNTER [Closing Night Film] East Coast Premiere @ Paramount Center / Q&A with director Lena Khan THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3
4:15PM RIGHT FOOTED
6:00PM 14: DRED SCOTT, WONG KIM ARK & VANESSA LOPEZ
Boston Premiere @ Paramount Center / Q&A with Jessica Cox
Free Community Screening @ Old South Meeting House
7 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
Social Justice with A Pan-Asian Lens
• Dorchester Organizing & Training Initiative • Sticky Rice Project • Activist Training Institute • AARW Writers’ Group • AARW Caring for Our Parents & Grandparents Series • Boston Asian American Film Festival Mailing Address: 42 Seaverns Ave., Boston, MA 02130-2884 Programming Site: 42 Charles St., Suite D, Dorchester, MA 02122-1441 (617) 942-8178 || info@aarw.org || www.aarw.org
FILMS YOU WON’T FIND ON NETFLIX
EUGENE ONEGIN OCT 28 - 30, 2016
HAMLET NOV 18 - 20, 2016
FRANKENSTEIN NOV 5 - 6, 2016
WAR HORSE DEC 16 - 18, 2016
Rimas Tuminas’ reimagining unfolds in the memory and imagination of Pushkin’s characters.
Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch takes on the title role of Shakespeare’s great tragedy.
Directed by Academy Award®-winner Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire), Frankenstein features Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating roles as Victor Frankenstein and his creation. BRIGHT FAMILY SCREENING ROOM AT THE EMERSON/PARAMOUNT CENTER
Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is the powerful story of a young boy called Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, who has been requisitioned to fight for the British in World War I.
ARTSEMERSON.ORG / 617.824.8400
INTENTIONALLY 8 | B oDIFFERENT. s t o n A s i a n AENTIRELY m e r i c a n FARTSEMERSON. i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING
FILM
GOOD LUCK SOUP
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 7:00PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY MATTHEW HASHIGUCHI | 2016 | 70 MINS | DOCUMENTARY GOOD LUCK SOUP explores several generations assimilating into a new culture while preserving their own. Grandmother Eva takes the narrative reins. With great charm and openness, the family takes us on a warm, honest, and sometimes shocking journey of prejudice and triumph. Beginning with the family's arrival in the early 1900s, we encounter the infamous Japanese Internment Camps during the war, a post-war welcome extended by Cleveland, and the different views and challenges each succeeding generation faces. Good Luck Soup is eaten on New Year's to bring hope and luck for the year. By partaking in this GOOD LUCK SOUP, we hope to continue to grow towards acceptance. DIRECTOR'S BIO | Matthew Hashiguchi is an award winning documentary filmmaker and Assistant Professor in Multimedia Film & Production at Georgia Southern University whose work focuses on the diverse cultural, social and ethnic stories of American society. His work as a multimedia journalist has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, in addition to many others. In 2008, he returned to school and graduated from Emerson College with an MFA in Visual and Media Art and has since been working as an independent documentary filmmaker and educator. SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH DIRECTOR MATTHEW HASHIGUCHI
9 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
1 0 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
OPENING NIGHT FILM EAST COAST PREMIERE
TYRUS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 7:30PM Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA (Harvard Square) DIRECTED BY PAMELA TOM | 2015 | 77 MINS | DOCUMENTARY TYRUS is Pamela Tom's tour-de-force documentary about 105-year old Guangzhou-born, L.A. based visual artist, Tyrus Wong and his breathtaking scope of work across multiple artistic mediums and his personal and professional journey navigating racial bigotry in 20th century America. The film makes meticulous use of Tyrus Wong's exquisite art, archival footage, illuminating interviews and commentary from Wong himself to document how his unique style, melding Chinese calligraphic and landscape influences with contemporary Western art, helped the Disney animated film, Bambi (1942) specifically, and early Hollywood in general establish their signature visual styles. DIRECTOR'S BIO | Pamela Tom (Producer/Director/Writer) is a documentary and narrative film director and producer. Her work often explores themes of identity, body image, and the intersection of Asian aesthetics and American culture. Her award-winning short, Two Lies, about a Chinese American mother who undergoes plastic surgery to make her eyes rounder, screened at Sundance and New Directors/New Films. She received her BA from Brown University and MFA from UCLA. TYRUS is her feature debut. SCREENING FOLLOWED BY: Q&A WITH DIRECTOR PAMELA TOM
CO-PRESENTED BY:
11 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
SHORTS PROGRAM
DOCUMENTARY
ROOTS & REFLECTIONS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 7:00PM
Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston These short documentaries invite us to look to our past to help paint our future - from childhood memories of Chinatown sculpting character to battling the myths of illness as they are often misunderstood in the Asian American community. ROOTS AND REFLECTIONS provides an introspective view on how each of us is empowered to use our individual experiences to collectively impact our world.
LIFE OF ZILI | DIRECTED BY CHENG ZHANG | 3 MINS A middle-aged first-generation Chinese immigrant lives independently while recovering from illness. A CHILDREN'S SONG | DIRECTED BY SHAYNA COHEN | 26 MINS When two students competing for a music scholarship discover that their original compositions are based on a single family song, both are determined to prove ownership, leading them to uncover the long lost true origin of the melody: a story of salvation and hope when over 20,000+ Jews emigrated to Shanghai during WWII. THE LAST TIP | DIRECTED BY PATRICK CHEN | 5 .MINS During the course of his meal, a loyal patron reminisces into his past memories at his favorite restaurant one last time.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
UP IN THE CLOUDS | DIRECTED BY ED MOY | 2 MINS Loosely based on the story of Chinese Aviatrix Katherine Sui Fun Cheung, Up in the Clouds shows how as a teenager, she discovered her love for flying while learning to drive a car with her dad next to a dusty airfield in 1921. ANGELS AND DEMONS | DIRECTED BY WILLIAM CHOW | 7 MINS A story of a Cambodian refugee's journey through the Killing Fields produced in the form of an interview between mother and son. FOREVER, CHINATOWN | DIRECTED BY JAMES Q. CHAN | 32 MINS Forever, Chinatown is a story of unknown, self-taught 81-year-old artist Frank Wong who has spent the past four decades recreating his fading memories by building romantic, extraordinarily detailed miniature models of the San Francisco Chinatown rooms of his youth. CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH DIRECTOR PATRICK CHEN AND CELIA AU (THE LAST TIP), DIRECTOR ED MOY & KATHERINE PARK (UP IN THE CLOUDS), DIRECTOR WILLIAM CHOW (ANGELS AND DEMONS), DIRECTOR JAMES CHAN & PRODUCER COREY TONG (FOREVER, CHINATOWN) 1 2 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
NARRATIVE FILM
DOCUMENTARY
FRONT COVER
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 9:3OPM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY RAY YEUNG | 2015 | 87 MINS | ROMANTIC COMEDY Set in Manhattan, Front Cover tells the story of Ryan Fu, a gay American who rejects his Chinese heritage, which he sees as a hindrance to his climb up the social ladder. Through talent and hard work he has attained his dream job as an assistant to a celebrity fashion stylist. One day Ryan is assigned to style Ning, an actor who just arrived from Beijing, for a top magazine photo shoot. Ning dismisses Ryan's initial Western styling and demands an image that represents the power of the new China. Their egos and opinions clash resulting in a strained and difficult working relationship. Over the following days, they slowly discover how much they share in common. As they get closer, a mutual attraction develops leading them to examine their beliefs and identities. DIRECTOR'S BIO | RAY YEUNG's first feature CUT SLEEVE BOYS was premiered at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and later was screened in over 20 festivals in the world. The film won Best Feature at the Outfest Fusion Festival and Best Actor in the Madrid Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. Ray has written and directed eight short films and has recently finished his second feature FRONT COVER, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival, and later was chosen in the Chicago International Film Festival. FRONT COVER is distributed by Strand Releasing for N. America. CO-PRESENTED BY:
QAPA Queer Asian Pacific-Islander Alliance
1 3 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
A CRACKLINGLY SMART POLITICAL THRILLER
by
KENNETH LIN
Directed by
(HOUSE OF CARDS)
DAWN M. SIMMONS
Save S20 with code BAAFF “Wild comedic ride! Smart urban comedy!”
DI RE CT ED
BY
BY
ERW MO OOD P VO RIT AV N S Z ILI ON TU ELP AT TH NA EB GEL CA M LEW IKE
CA LD
T I N G
WIL D
GLO
BET
RO TTI
NG
CO
ME
DY
SO OW ER UT HE T S ND H RU TYL NO E! V.13
— ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION
Save $10 with code BAAFF
COMMUNITY PANEL FREE COMMUNITY PANEL
ASIAN AMERICANS ON STAGE & SCREEN: ANSWERING THE CALL TO ACTION
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 11:30AM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston
CO-PRESENTED BY:
This past year with #OscarsSoWhite, #EmmaStoned and greater attention to Whitewashing in Hollywood and on Broadway, we have also seen an increase in theatrical productions in Boston. BAAFF is recognizing career paths that have a positive influence on what we see on stage and on screen. Be inspired by our panelists who have answered the "call to action," and find out what motivates them to be change-makers.
MICHAEL TOW | ACTOR - WARRIOR CLASS, CHINGLISH (LYRIC STAGE), PRODUCER/ACTOR - EAST OF HOLLYWOOD Michael is a professional film, TV and theater actor living in Boston. He has appeared in Hollywood films such as Unfinished Business opposite Dave Franco and Universal's RIPD with Ryan Reynolds & Jeff Bridges. Currently he is producing the full-length version of his award-winning short film, East of Hollywood and stars in the Lyric Stage production of Warrior Class.
SALIMA KOROMA | DIRECTOR/PRODUCER - BAD RAP Salima Koroma (Director/Producer) - Bad Rap is Salima's directorial debut. Bad Rap follows the lives and careers of four Asian-American rappers trying to break into a world that often treats them as outsiders. She's a former video producer for Time Magazine, NowThis, and Current TV, and a hip-hop and K-pop news writer. Salima is currently at work writing screenplays for film and television.
ELISA CHOI | CHAIR - MA STATE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMISSION, VICE PRESIDENT - COMPANY ONE Dr. Elisa Choi is the current Vice President for Company One Theatre's Board of Directors. Dr. Choi also holds a position as a state appointed Commissioner of the Commonwealth of MA Asian American Commission (AAC), and is the Chairperson. As a core member of the Company One Theatre Board of Directors Executive Team, she plays a major role in the oversight and decision-making for organizational strategic planning and Board development.
CHRIS HASTINGS | EXECUTIVE PRODUCER - THE WORLD CHANNEL, WGBH Chris Hastings is the executive producer/editorial manager of WORLD Channel and WORLDChannel.org, in charge of content development, acquisition, and production for both. At WGBH, Chris is best known for inventing and creating high quality media at low cost, earning him three regional Emmys for the WGBH LAB Open Call program. He received his Bachelors degree from Kutztown State University of Pennsylvania and his Masters from American University. 1 5 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
SHORTS PROGRAM
DOCUMENTARY
BE TRUE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1:30PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston Be honest. Be determined. Be insightful: BE TRUE. BE TRUE highlights the challenges and triumphs of being authentic. Shining the spotlight on the LBGTQ Asian American community's inner and outward struggle to embrace identity while honoring family and community; respecting traditional views as they compete with modern relationships; bridging the generation gap through the discovery of common threads and finding the superhero in each of us - BE TRUE beckons us to do just that.
GOT IT MAID | DIRECTED BY SHAWN-NOEL SEMANA | 12 MINS When her son presents her with an opportunity to sing again, Mila, a hardworking, underprivileged Filipina maid, must decide if she is willing to chase after her dream and leave the life she has grown accustomed to.
FANNY PACK | DIRECTED BY UTTERA SINGH | 11 MINS Fanny Pack is a comedy about a young Indian–American woman who wants to follow her dreams, and a fanny pack clad Indian father who chases his daughter through an airport hoping that she will follow his.
ENCORE | DIRECTED BY JERRY SUH | 3 MINS A girl with a passion for music struggles to continue playing as no one accepts her "terrible" music until a street musician shows her something very special.
B | DIRECTED BY LEANDRO TADASHI | 14 MINS Little Bruno's life is turned upside down when his "B " (from "Bachan", grandma in Japanese) is brought to live in his house.
THE MONKEY KING IS IN TOWN | DIRECTED BY LIANG CE | 5 MINS 9-year-old Chinese American Alex struggles to find a Chinese superhero costume for a Halloween party. Later, he obtains courage through making his own Monkey King costume and decides to fight against a school bully for his friends.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY: Q&A WITH DIRECTOR VICKY DU (GAYSIANS), ANGELO SANTOS (PAMANHIKAN) AND SHAWN NOEL-SEMANA (GOT IT MAID)
GAYSIANS | DIRECTED BY VICKY DU | 13 MINS Five queer and trans Asian-Americans explore their relationships with their family and culture in this patchwork documentary. PAMANHIKAN | DIRECTED BY ANGELO SANTOS | 29 MINS "Pamanhikan" showcases the Filipino marriage tradition where the parents of an engaged couple meet for the first time. This comedy about two grooms' parents meeting tackles the quirkiness of interracial relationships, examines the dysfunction of family and challenges traditional views on marriage. CO-PRESENTED BY :
QAPA Queer Asian Pacific-Islander Alliance
1 6 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
RIGHT FOOTED
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 4:15PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY NICK SPARK | 2015 | 80 MINS | DOCUMENTARY Learning to type with her toes, drive a car with her feet, and amazingly fly an airplane without the use of hands are just a few in a lifetime of against-the-odds accomplishments achieved by Jessica Cox, a woman born without arms. Overcoming challenges both physical and emotional she continues to rise through adversity becoming a motivational speaker, a mentor, and eventually a leading advocate for people with disabilities. DIRECTOR'S BIO | Producer / Director Nick Spark is a documentarian with a passion for unconventional characters, particularly the oft-overlooked female heroine. He previously produced the Legend of Pancho Barnes, a profile of genderbending pilot Florence "Pancho" Barnes. It won the L.A. area Emmy in 2010 and continues to air on public television stations.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH JESSICA COX VIA VIDEO CONFERENCING
1 7 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
We support what matters to you. Because you matter to us. Eastern Bank is a proud sponsor of the Asian American Resource Workshop.
easternbank.com 1 8 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
NARRATIVE FILM
DOCUMENTARY
CENTERPIECE FILM EAST COAST PREMIERE
COMFORT
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 6:30PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY WILLIAM LU | 2016 | 103 MINS | ROMANTIC DRAMA Cameron (Christopher Dinh) is content racing around the dark streets of Los Angeles as a late-night courier for his slick boss, Eddie (Billy Sly Williams). Then one fateful night, an important client, Martin (Kelvin Han Yee), asks Cameron to pick up something very special at the airport–his daughter Jasmine (Julie Zhan), who is flying in from overseas. Cameron accepts the job, but isn't prepared for the sparks that fly between him and the fiery beauty. A romance blossoms between them as they spend two nights exploring LA's local food scene. DIRECTOR'S BIO | A native of Northern California, William Lu received his BA in anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles. During his studies, he also served as an intern and development assistant for David Madden and Robert Cort at the Cort/Madden Company on the Paramount Pictures lot. In 2015, he directed the feature drama COMFORT from his own original screenplay. The storyline and characters were inspired by the John Hughes movies of the 80's, while Michael Mann's LA nightscapes served as a stylistic inspiration. Shortly after completing Comfort, he returned to Maker Studios, producing for clients such as SlingTV and Verizon Go90. SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH DIRECTOR WILLIAM LU AND LEAD ACTOR CHRIS DINH
. 1 9 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
DOCUMENTARY
BAD RAP
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 9:15PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston
AFTER-PARTY: BRING YOUR TICKET STUB TO EMERALD LOUNGE FOR FREE COVER | 21+ EVENT
DIRECTED BY SALIMA KOROMA | 2016 | 82 MINS | DOCUMENTARY Although it started in the South Bronx among African-American and Latino youth in the 70s, hiphop culture today has transcended all racial and language boundaries. From the slums of France to nationally televised programs in Korea, rappers have emerged as legitimate pop culture stars around the world. Hip-hop's global movement is diverse, but the face of rap in America remains primarily black, brown, and white. Bad Rap follows the lives and careers of four Asian-American rappers trying to break into a world that often treats them as outsiders. Sharing dynamic live performance footage and revealing interviews, these artists make the most skeptical critics into believers. From battle rhymes of crowd-favorite Dumbfoundead to the tongue-in-cheek songs of Awkwafina, the unapologetic visuals of Rekstizzy to conflicted values of Lyricks, the film paints a memorable portrait of artistic passion in the face of an unsung struggle. DIRECTOR'S BIO | BAD RAP is Salima Koroma's directorial debut. She's a former video producer for Time Magazine, NowThis, and Current TV, and a hip-hop and K-pop news writer. Salima is currently at work writing screenplays for film and television.
SCREENING PRECEDED BY TWO MUSIC VIDEOS: KITE FIGHT | DIRECTED BY JONATHAN LIZCANO | 3 MINS BY BOSTON-BASED PUNK BAND, AWAAZ DO GO BACK | 4 MINS BY BOSTON-BASED ARTISTS, LUDOW & ROB CHEN
CO-PRESENTED BY:
.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY: Q&A WITH DIRECTOR SALIMA KOROMA (BAD RAP), MEMBERS OF BAND, AWAAZ DO (KITE FIGHT), AND LUDOW (GO BACK) 2 1 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
Share your story to raise awareness and reduce stigma for Asian Americans living with mental illness! #SpeakShareSupport teamasianminds.org
/teamasianminds
@teamasianminds
@teamasianminds
2 2 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
SHORTS PROGRAM
DOCUMENTARY
IT'S COMPLICATED
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1:00PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston Struggles and triumphs. Challenges and victories. These shorts remind us that everyday we are faced with decisions on how to overcome obstacles. Whether it is the push and pull of protecting a child from an adult world, following one's dream against all odds or finding hope in life when love has been lost, IT'S COMPLICATED tells the stories of facing invisible challenges with faith and determination.
EMPTY SPACES | DIRECTED BY ERIN LAU | 14 MINS Empty Spaces focuses on introverted widow, Mayumi, who continues to carry out her daily tasks as a wife in order to cope with her loss, but once her constructed world starts to crumble, she is finally forced to confront the truth of her husband's death. BOXER | DIRECTED BY TOY LEI | 5 MINS A middle-aged contract killer must reconcile her life between her ruthless clients and her young, unquestioning son who wants to be just like her. SONG ON CANVAS | DIRECTED BY KEO WOOLFORD | 15 MINS An emotionally lost artist, trapped in the corporate world, receives encouragement to pick up his brush again from all people - his deceased mother. UNSPOKEN | DIRECTED BY AMANDA HUANG | 4 MINS Mental health in the AAPI community is often overlooked because of ideas like the Model Minority Myth that our society disseminates. This short film is a personal narrative that emphasizes the importance of utilizing your voice especially in these circumstances. SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
PATA | DIRECTED BY KATHRYN KLINGLE | 9 MINS PATA explores what role chronic depression has played in the life of Pata Suyemoto–teacher, artist, mental health activist. HARRY ON THE CLOUDS | DIRECTED BY AYA SHIROI | 4 MINS A mother can't get out of bed because her son is gone, while Harry looks for his mom from above. THE WALTZ | DIRECTED BY TREVOR ZHOU | 11 MINS An immigrant woman faces an out of control hoarding compulsion and a crumbling marriage. She stumbles upon waltz lessons and tries to reclaim her life through dance. HALMONI | DIRECTED BY ANNA OH | 21 MINS Representing just one of the millions of undocumented immigrants in America, 24-year old immigrant activist Ju Hong travels back to South Korea to reunite with his ailing grandmother diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Halmoni shares an intimate glimpse into the young activist's past and his struggles of being separated from family.
CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH DIRECTOR ANNA OH (HALMONI), DIRECTOR KATHRYN KLINGLE AND PATA SUYEMOTO (PATA), DIRECTOR AMANDA HUANG (UNSPOKEN) AND DIRECTOR TOY LEI (BOXER) 2 3 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
Commissioners: Elisa Choi, Chairperson Sophy Theam, Vice Chairperson Wingkay Leung, Treasurer Nick Chau, Secretary Yan Jennifer Cao Chris Chanyasulkit Tony Dang Kay Dong Vira Douangmany Cage Gilbert Ho Pralhad Bahadur KC Lianna Kushi Mabel Lam John Naranja Uyen-Sa Nguyen Dimple J. Rana Lydia Schroter Evelyn Tang Karen Tseng
Appointment by: Treasurer House Speaker Secretary of State Attorney General Auditor Governor Treasurer Secretary of State Senate President Secretary of State Governor Speaker of the House Treasurer Auditor Governor Speaker of the House Auditor Attorney General Attorney General
Asian American Commission proudly supports the Boston Asian American Film Festival Executive Director: Bora Chiemruom
The Asian American Commission is a permanent body dedicated to advocacy on behalf of Asian Americans throughout Massachusetts. www.aacommission.org
Seeking to document, promote and preserve the history of Chinese in New England. For more information or to become a member: info@chsne.org | chsne.org 2 4 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
DOCUMENTARY
BREATHIN': THE EDDY ZHENG STORY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 3:00PM
Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY BEN WANG | 2015 | 61 MINS | DOCUMENTARY Arrested at 16 and tried as an adult for kidnapping and robbery, Eddy Zheng served over 20 years in California prisons and jails. Ben Wang's BREATHIN': THE EDDY ZHENG STORY paints an intimate portrait of Eddy - the prisoner, the immigrant, the son, the activist - on his journey to freedom, rehabilitation and redemption. DIRECTOR'S BIO | BEN WANG's previous documentary films include AOKI (Co-Director, 2009 feature documentary film, which screened at SF Int'l Asian American Film Festival, Black Panther Party Film Festival, Chicago Asian American Showcase, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, and Boston Asian American Film Festival) and MAMORI (Director, 2013 short documentary film that screened at CAAMFest). Wang also co-edited "Other: an API Prisoners' Anthology," the first anthology of writings and artwork featuring API prisoners.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH EDDY ZHENG
.
2 5 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
2 6 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
NARRATIVE FILM
DOCUMENTARY
CLOSING NIGHT FILM EAST COAST PREMIERE
THE TIGER HUNTER
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23, 5:00PM Paramount Center, 559 Washington St., Downtown Boston DIRECTED BY LENA KHAN | 2015 | 89 MINS | DRAMA THE TIGER HUNTER is the story of Sami Malik, a young South Asian who travels to Chicago in the late 70s to become an engineer to impress his childhood crush and live up to his father's legacy, the legendary village Tiger Hunter. When Sami's job offer falls through, he takes a low-end job and shares an apartment with fellow underutilized engineers. With the help of his friends, he hopes to convince the woman he loves he's far more successful than he truly is or perhaps ever could be.
DIRECTOR'S BIO | Lena Khan is an independent filmmaker who allows her work to be an organic blend of her varied experiences, the multi-faceted elements of her identity, her witty outlook on life, and her rich emotional aptitude. Lena has been directing short films, commercials and music videos for international artists. Aside from running a blog and conducting workshops across the country for young filmmakers, Lena now brings her unique vision and visual style to her first feature film, THE TIGER HUNTER.
SCREENING FOLLOWED BY:
CO-PRESENTED BY:
Q&A WITH DIRECTOR LENA KHAN
.
2 7 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
DOCUMENTARY FILM
FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING
FILM
14 :  DRED SCOTT, WONG KIM ARK & VANESSA LOPEZ THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 6:00PM
Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington St, Boston 02108 DIRECTED BY GRAHAM STREET PRODUCTIONS | 2014 | 67 MINS | DOCUMENTARY The documentary film 14: DRED SCOTT, WONG KIM ARK & VANESSA LOPEZ explores the recurring question about who has the right to be an American citizen. 14 examines the citizenship clause of the 14th Amendment through compelling personal stories and expertly-told history. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." The story is told through the lives of three ordinary and extraordinary American families who changed history by their courageous challenges to the powerful status quo - Dred and Harriet Scott, Wong Kim Ark and Rosario and Vanessa Lopez. Descendants of Dred and Harriet Scott and those of Wong Kim Ark tell the stories of how their ancestors fought all the way to the Supreme Court and changed American history. Rosario Lopez and her daughter Vanessa are both activists in the immigrant rights youth movement. Born in the United States and a citizen under the 14th Amendment, Vanessa wants to be "either an artist, a photographer, a lawyer, or a marine biologist" and President of the United States. It is the citizenship of millions of children like Vanessa Lopez, born in the United States to undocumented parents, that is at stake now. DIRECTOR'S BIO | The mission of Graham Street Productions is to create socially relevant documentaries to educate, inspire and mobilize audiences. We believe that art has the power to change hearts and minds, that there are important stories waiting to be told and that we all have the power to make a difference. We work with and support young and emerging artists and partner with a wide variety of advocates for social justice. CO-PRESENTED BY:
2 8 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
BAAFF STAFF
AARW STAFF
Festival Director - Susan Chinsen Associate Festival Director - Connie Chan Festival Manager - Ellen Kaye
Executive Director - Carolyn Chou Administrative Manager - Janet Gee Organizing Director - Kevin Lam Education & Outreach Coordinator - Uma Venkatraman
Director of Production - Alan Kwan Programming Manager - Tiffany Lam Talent Relations Manager - Alan Wong Social Media Manager - Eugenia Beh Website Manager - Sarah O'Neill Government Outreach Coordinator - Jeff Lee Community Outreach Coordinator - Jong Wai Tommee Student Outreach Coordinator - Melody Takeuchi Volunteer Coordinator - Minh Nguyen Graphic Designer - Eva Loh Production Assistant - Kenny Leibe Ailin Thomas Ally Yee Andy Chang Andy Tsang Anna Zeng Annie Tuan Antonia Yang Benjamin Lee Brian Cho Chheangkea Ieng Claire Tran Elizabeth Abramson Emi Komatsu
Feng Mei Heberer Jose Soto Justina Tran Kevin Eam Lanca Li Mike Li Neil Sen Rob Chen Sydney Rae Chin Tiffany Hu Victoria Nguyen Vincent Tang Yury Namgung
BIG THANKS
AARW BOARD OF DIRECTORS President - Nam Le Treasurer - Aaron Tanaka Secretary - Lorrayne Shen Joanne Chan Lukas Dow Lisette Le Brandon Lee Celina Lee
Laurence Louie Kimberly Situ Tara Venkatraman Angelo Vo Johannes Wilson
ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE WORKSHOP The mission of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) is to work for the empowerment of the Asian Pacific American community to achieve its full participation in the U.S. society. AARW is a member-based organization that seeks to document the diverse Asian Pacific American histories, experiences, and social conditions. Our resources and activities are used to respond to current Asian Pacific American issues and to promote Asian Pacific American identity. BAAFF is a production of AARW. FOR MORE INFO: AARW.ORG
TO ALL OF OUR
VOLUNTEERS
& SUPPORTERS HELP BAAFF IMPROVE BY FILLING OUT A SURVEY:
BAAFF.ORG/SURVEY
2 9 | B o s t o n A s i a n A m e r i c a n F i l m F e s t i v a l 2 0 1 6 | B A A F F. O R G
OVER 25 FILMS | MANY FILMMAKERS IN BOSTON THURSDAY, OCT. 20 ▼ BRATTLE THEATRE All events are in DOWNTOWN BOSTON & HARVARD SQUARE OPENING NIGHT FILM | 7:30PM | TYRUS
FRIDAY, OCT. 21 ▼ PARAMOUNT CENTER
shorts
7:00PM | ROOTS & REFLECTIONS
FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING
9:30PM | FRONT COVER
SATURDAY, OCT. 22 ▼ PARAMOUNT CENTER GOOD LUCK SOUP TUESDAY, OCT. 18, 7:00PM PARAMOUNT CENTER
asian americans on stage & screen
11:30AM | FREE PANEL
shorts
1:30PM | BE TRUE
FREE COMMUNITY SCREENING
4:15PM | RIGHT FOOTED
9:15PM | BAD RAP
CENTERPIECE FILM 6:30PM | COMFORT
14: DRED SCOTT, WONG KIM ARK & VANESSA LOPEZ THURSDAY, NOV. 3, 6:00PM OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE
SUNDAY, OCT. 23 ▼ PARAMOUNT CENTER
shorts
1:00PM | IT’S COMPLICATED
3:00PM | BREATHIN’: THE EDDY ZHENG STORY
CLOSING NIGHT FILM | 5:00PM | THE TIGER HUNTER
BAAFF.ORG
Special guest appearances and more info will be announced on the website. All events are subject to change without notice.