Historic 2017 Asian Pacific Film Festival Hosts Entrees from 31 Countries; First Year as Academy Qualifying Festival in the Animated Short/Live Action Short Film Categories; 25TH Anniversary of The Los Angeles Uprising

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Category: Entertainment News

Published on Friday, 21 April 2017 14:54

Every year, the LAAPFF International Showcase of new works from Asia highlights films and filmmakers from throughout the continent.  This year is no different as the Festival boasts acclaimed features from Australia, Belgium, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Macao, Mexico, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peoples Republic of China, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vietnam. 

For the first time ever, the LAAPFF will present a Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Asian International documentary and narrative feature.  The line up of these award-nominated documentaries and features include:

Documentary Features

●MOTHERLAND Dir.: Ramona S. Diaz

●PLASTIC CHINA Dir.: Wang Jiu-liang

●SMALL TALK Dir.: Huang Hui-Chen

●TOKYO IDOLS Dir.: Kyoko Miyake

Narrative Features

●BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK Dir.: Anocha Suwichakornpong

●DIAMOND ISLAND Dir: Davy Chou

●KING OF PEKING Dir.: Sam Voutas

●POP AYE Dir.: Kristen Tan

●RESEBA - THE DARK WIND Dir.: Hussein Hassan

●THE ROAD TO MANDALAY Dir.: Midi Z

●SAVING SALLY Dir.: Avid Liongoren

●THE SOUL OF THE TIGER Dir.: François Yang

●THE SOWER Dir.: Yosuke Takeuchi

●TAXI STORIES Dir.: Doris Yeung

●TURN LEFT TURN RIGHT Dir.: Douglas Seok

"We are very excited to present some of the freshest and most indispensable voices in Asian International cinema this year," says Programming Consultant Anderson Le. "Our festival line-up offers a unique opportunity for audiences to encounter award-winning and critically acclaimed works from Asia and the diaspora.

Further, on the international landscape, the LAAPFF will present spotlight programs on the current wave of important Taiwanese Cinema and Southeast Asian Cinema adding to the ever budding global cinema landscape.

●VOICES FROM TAIWAN   The Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles joins the Festival to present "Voices from Taiwan", a spotlight on Taiwanese cinema offerings programmed during the week.

●TIGERS ROAR    The "Tigers Roar" program focuses on Southeast Asian Cinema with film screenings at the Fest and partnering with the two-day ASEAC-SEARCN LA Conference at UCLA. The sharing of experiences through film and media becomes increasingly important during these fast changing times of ensuring that our voices, images and stories are heard and seen.  The LAAPFF is proud to present the following important special presentations that include discussions, films, performance art, and media installations that will provide dialogue, reflection, inspiration and encouragement. 

●FILM - SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS - this amazing selection of special film presentations include award winning features from across the globe highlighting stories, issues and filmmakers that are pushing the boundaries.  These include: 

ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL – Dir. Steve James  From acclaimed director, Steve James (HOOP DREAMS, THE INTERRUPTERS, LIFE ITSELF), this acclaimed and insightful film tells the incredible saga of the Chinese immigrant Sung family, owners of Abacus Federal Savings of Chinatown, New York. Accused of mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney, Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., Abacus becomes the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER – Dir. Joe Piscatella   When the Chinese Communist Party alters its promise of autonomy to Hong Kong– handed back to the Chinese government from British rule in 1997 – teenager Joshua Wong decides to fight for his homeland. Rallying thousands, Joshua becomes an unlikely leader in Hong Kong. A remarkable portrait of courage, resilience, & the power of youthful idealism, JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER is a chronicle of one young man risking his own future for a greater good. Winner of the Audience Award, World Cinema Documentary, 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

RELOCATION: ARKANSAS-AFTERMATH OF INCARCERATION – Dir. Vivienne Schiffer  A look at the aftermath of the imprisonment of thousands of Japanese Americans in the Deep South, the harsh reality of prejudice, and the cruel irony of identity, told through the words of one survivor, one rebel, and one woman mayor.

RE:ORIENTATIONS – Dir. Richard Fung   A look into the lives and thoughts of seven queer pan-Asian Canadians as they look back         on the groundbreaking 1984 documentary in which they were featured. How have they changed? And how has the world around them evolved and changed?

THREE SASSY SISTERS – Dir. Nia Dinata   Three sassy sisters: Gendis (32), Ella (28), and Bebe (19), are very passionate about running their family boutique hotel by the beach in the eastern part of Indonesia's archipelago. Their grandmother, however, is frustrated because she is unable to find the ideal matches for her granddaughters. Grandma doesn't give up. Her ultimate goal in life is to find suitable men for her granddaughters.

YELLOW – Dir. Chris Chan Lee  (20th Anniversary Screening) #Starring JohnChoA normal evening turns into a wild and desperate scavenger hunt for eight high school friends in the coming of age dramedy, YELLOW. When the group rallies to help a friend who was robbed, the lines between adolescent and adult are blurred in this 1997 classic. 

●BRONZEVILLE, LITTLE TOKYO  sheds light on an overlooked moment in history when Japanese and Japanese-Americans were displaced during World War II and African-Americans moved into Little Tokyo. For this brief period in the 40's, this area was known as "Bronzeville."   To honor this period, FORM follows FUNCTION and Visual Communications present a special two-day program featuring an interactive media installation, a 360° virtual reality presentation, and a live Jazz performance on Historic First Street North.  Locations include the Historic Nishi Building, the Union Center for the Arts and the Japanese American National Museum.

●FLASH POINT 2017 – TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AFTER THE LOS ANGELES UPRISING      The city of Los Angeles has not been the same since April 29, 1992. With racial tension peaking and riots sparking across the city, it became clear that Angelenos were demanding a drastic change in the relationship between police officers and racial minorities. Twenty-five years after the LA uprising, there is still a question of the treatment of people of color and the socio-political factors in Los Angeles. The Festival is partnering with the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs for this historic weekend utilizing art and media to examine the socio-political factors that provoked the 1992 LA Uprising and its impact in the racial and economic climate in LA and across the U.S. today. 

The events begin on Friday April 28 launching a full weekend of programming including two panels featuring a discussion of the evolution of community organizing, as well as the role media (particularly film) has played in creating and reflecting social change. A Screening of Dai Sil Kim-Gibson's landmark WET SAND:  VOICES FROM LA will kick off the April 29th day of events including panel discussions with filmmakers Dai Sil Kim-Gibson and Charles Burnett; Funmilola Fagbamila of Black Lives Matter; author Robin D.G. Kelly; filmmakers Justin Chon, and Renee Tajima Pena; comedian/artivist Jenny Yang; journalist Phil Yu and others.  The gala screening of Justin Chon's film GOOK will close out the April 29TH anniversary.  While on Sunday April 30, filmmaker Grace Lee will present the interactive project KTOWN 92 and featured artists (Grace Misoe Lee and Patrick Martinez) will discuss their process and how the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising influenced their work.

"This unique and special partnership between Visual Communications and the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs is shaping up to be very important," notes Tammy Borrero, Director of Events at UCLA Luskin.  "Our Asian Pacific American filmmakers and creative talents are key to a holistic approach to re-imagining and implementing policies to move L.A. to a pluralistic, socially-equitable society.  FLASH POINT 2017 is a vital and essential place to check in on our progress and move things forward to our desired goals."