Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival Celebrates 34 Years Presenting 118 Films From Across The Globe For The 2018 Edition

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Saturday, 21 April 2018 21:26

LAAPFF will present a Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Asian Pacific International documentary and narrative features.  The lineup of these films in competition are:

COMPETITION DOCUMENTARIES - INTERNATIONAL

ANGKAR - Dir. Neary Adeline Hay

BECOMING WHO I WAS - Dir. Moon Chang-Yong, Jin Jeon

CHINA'S FORGOTTEN DAUGHTERS  - Dir. Vincent Du, Meng Han

THE CLEANERS - Dir. Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck

LATE LIFE : THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY - Dir. Frank W. Chen

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE - Dir. Hao Wu

SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD - Dir. Hyewon Lee

 COMPETITION NARRATIVES - INTERNATIONAL

IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC - Dir. Caylee So & Sok Visal

JIMAMI TOFU - Dir. Jason Chan, Christian Lee

KISS AND SPELL - Dir. Stephane Gauger

NEOMANILA - Dir. Mikhail Red

OMOTENASHI - Dir. Jay Chern

THE THIRD MURDER - Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

WARU - Dir. Chelsea Cohen, Ainsley Gardiner, Casey Kaa, Renae Maihi, Awanui Simich-Pene, Briar Grace-Smith, Paula Whetu, Katie Wolfe

 Films from North America are eligible for the Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Asian American documentary and narrative features.  These competition films are:

COMPETITION NARRATIVES - NORTH AMERICA

AUGUST AT AKIKO'S - Dir. Christopher Makoto Yogi

THE FEVER AND THE FRET - Dir. Cath Gulick

FICTION & OTHER REALITIES - Dir. Bobby Choy, Steve Lee

FISH BONES - Dir. Joanne Mony Park

FOR IZZY - Dir. Alex Chu

HANH, SOLO - Dir. Jason Taylor

STAND UP MAN - Dir. Aram Collier

WHITE RABBIT - Dir. Daryl Wein

COMPETITION DOCUMENTARIES - NORTH AMERICA

ANOTE'S ARK - Dir. Matthieu Rytz

CALL HER GANDA - Dir. PJ Raval

CORRIDOR FOUR - Dir. Stephen Tringali

ISLAND SOLDIER - Dir. Nathan Fitch

MINDING THE GAP - Dir. Bing Liu

SCIENCE FAIR - Dir.: Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster

ULAM: MAIN DISH – Dir. Alexandra Cuerdo

"Our documentary selection this year continues to be a highlight of our Festival as it features some of the best films and filmmakers from both the U.S. and abroad," states David Magdael, the Festival Co-Director.

"Award-winning films from Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and other festivals are having their Los Angeles premieres at LAAPFF.  These films bring us true life stories and experiences that will stay with the viewer and perhaps even inspire action.  T

he essence of the current Filipino food movement in the US, the search for justice for a murdered trans Filipina woman, people in China living their lives all day streaming on the internet, the story of three longtime skateboarder friends who must face growing up and their own unexpected revelations from their past, celebrating kids who are changing our world by competing in science fairs--there is something for everyone in our doc programs."

LAAPFF is proud to be an Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards.  Recipients of the Film Festival's qualifying awards will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without standard theatrical run, provided the film otherwise complies with the Academy rules.  With over 60 eligible films, recipient(s) of LAAPFF's Golden Reel Award for Narrative Short Film will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.  Additionally, the Film Festival grants a Golden Reel Award for Excellence in Documentary Short Films.

"Short films are an excellent way for up-and-coming filmmakers to make their mark on the film world, and we're excited to showcase the variety of Asian Pacific talent," says

Branding & Communications Manager and Shorts Programmer Dorothy Xiao. "We've selected films that will move, educate and inspire.  As we are an Academy Award® qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards, one of our short films may very well be the next Academy Award® winner!" 

The sharing of experiences through film and media becomes increasingly important during these fast changing times to ensure that our voices, images, and stories are heard and seen.  LAAPFF is proud to present the following important special presentations that include discussions, films, performance art, and media installations that will encourage dialogue, reflection, and inspiration.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS include features from across the globe highlighting historical moments, food, and filmmakers that are pushing the boundaries to classic family films. There's a secret screening that you won't want to miss!  These include:

PROOF OF LOYALTY: KAZUO YAMANE AND THE NISEI SOLDIERS OF HAWAII – Dir. Lucy Ostrander, Don Sellers

PROOF OF LOYALTY tells the story of Kazuo Yamane, a Japanese American who played a crucial strategic role in World War II. He and his fellow Nisei from Hawaii combatted prejudice and discrimination to loyally serve their country, forming the most awarded and celebrated U.S. army battalion. Their extraordinary service, mostly untold, ultimately changed the course of U.S. history.

THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT – Dir. Ric Burns, Li-Shin Yu

Burns and Yu tackle a complicated yet under told story about a significant piece of U.S. history — the only legislation barring an entire group of immigrants based on ethnicity and race. As highlighted through first-person interviews and archival materials, this film serves as resistance against racism and the resilience of people that shaped the fabric of the United States.

PRISON FOOD (World Premiere) – Dir. Johneric Concordia

Two special sneak episodes from the new series produced by Discovery Asia, features Johneric Concordia (Owner of The Park's Finest restaurant) teaching inmates how to cook.  Following the screening will be a discussion with the director/chef on the art of cuisine as it builds community.

IT'S A PARTY – Dir. Weldon Wong Powers

The unsuccessful friends of a popular rapper have gathered for a surprise birthday party at his house, only to realize he may never show up.

FIND YOUR VOICE – Dir. Chris Herd

After winning the lottery, E, a young Maori rapper, returns home to New Zealand to find his musical and traditional roots. In the quest to find his voice he soon becomes lost as love, culture, and, cash collide on the dark side of the music scene.

OUT OF STATE – Dir. Ciara Lacy

The award winning documentary OUT OF STATE is the story of outcasts, native Hawaiian prisoners shipped 3,000 miles across the ocean to a for-profit prison in the desert of Arizona. In this unlikely setting, these men discover their fierce indigenous dances, inspiring two native Hawaiians to fight to turn their lives around upon release.

KULEANA – Dir. Brian Kohne

Kuleana is the Hawaiian word for spiritual responsibility. In 1971, few understood the concept of kuleana, as the Hawaiian Renaissance, a reawakening of island culture, had yet to begin and ancient customs and values teetered on the precipice of extinction. On Maui, childhood friends Nohea and Kim share a common nemesis: Kim's father, Victor Coyle, a real-estate developer who blatantly exploits the land and the people he has managed to usurp and control. Ancestral spirits and modern day warriors also contribute to the fight as Nohea and Kim learn the most important lesson: kuleana is not a burden; it is a privilege.

This year's LAAPFF competition line-up for Grand Jury Awards for North American feature films is rich with stories and insights from important and nuanced perspectives from creative talent across the spectrum.

SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN highlights the best in Taiwanese cinema and the country's rich culture and history that have shaped the island nation into one of the most dynamic countries in the Asia-Pacific Rim. This section is generously supported by Taiwan Academy of Los Angeles and the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan.

This year, LAAPFF is honored to present two feature films — Jay Chern's third feature film, OMOTENASHI, and the world premiere of Frank W. Chen's documentary LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY.

OMOTENASHI, from a past LAAPFF Award winner Jay Chern (THIEF, LAAPFF 2014), stars Edison Wang as Jacky, the young heir to a construction company in Taiwan. His father sends him to Kyoto to oversee the renovation of the beautiful yet obsolete Bright Moon Ryokan. Jacky is going in hopes to get back his ex-girlfriend Naoko and to sell the hotel. There, he meets the innkeeper Mitsuko and her daughter Rika. Unaware of his hidden agenda, the innkeeper is excited about the idea of turning the hotel into a wedding venue, and suggests that Jacky learns "omotenashi," the virtue of traditional Japanese hospitality, together with her daughter and her otaku helper.

 LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY could be best described as a baseball version of the documentaryLINSANITY. Directed by Frank W. Chen and produced by Brian Yang (LINSANITY), the film chronicles Taiwanese baseball player Chien-Ming Wang's last ditch effort to be recruited back on a professional baseball team after a series of injuries disrupted his trailblazing career in the major leagues. LATE LIFE is an up-close and personal film that delves into Wang's personal drive as a star athlete with a resiliency that impresses everyone in his wake.

 In addition, this year's Spotlight on Taiwan highlights the works of emerging Taiwanese filmmakers with three short films — 100th BIRTHDAY WISH by Chien-Hung Lien, MISS WORLD by Georgia Fu, and FUNDAMENTAL by Shih-Chieh Chiu. These short films present universal stories that are also unique in capturing everyday Taiwanese life. As LAAPFF is an Academy Award®-qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards, perhaps these new directors will be the next Ang Lee.