The Los Angeles Post

VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS CELEBRATES 40 EDITION OF FILM FESTIVAL

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VC Film Fest Announces Lineup of Asian, Black, Latine 

and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Storytelling

Film Fest Celebrates 40 Years With Main Focus On VC Archives

World Premieres of Yi Chen’s DISSIDENTS; 

Quyên Nguyen-Le, Tadashi Nakamura’s NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT; 

Jeff Man’s PAPER MARRIAGE; 

Alexander Bocchieri’s SHAKA: THE STORY OF ALOHA And More

LA Premiere Of Iram Parveen Bilal’s WAKHRI

West Coast Premiere of Uyghur film NIKAH, Directed By Mukaddas Mijit & Bastien Ehouzan

North American Premiere Of Aizhan Kassymbek’s MADINA

Democracy Series To Feature LA Premieres Ramona Diaz’s AND SO IT BEGINS, 

Vanessa Hope’s INVISIBLE NATION And More

 

(April 4, 2024) Los Angeles, CA – Visual Communications (VC),  the first non-profit organization in the US dedicated to the honest and accurate portrayals of Asian, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander communities through media arts announced the lineup for VC FILM FEST – the 40th edition of their film festival, formerly known as the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF).  Set to open on May 1st, VC FILM FEST will center the storytelling power from Asian, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander communities, and will encourage audiences to activate that power into action at home and action with organizations that serve Black, Indigenous, and additional people of color.

 

VC FILM FEST, produced annually by Visual Communications, will present over 150 films during the 10 day festival. The festival will be anchored in Little Tokyo, as a way to build regenerative power in the Arts District/Little Tokyo neighborhood; with  in-person events at Aratani Theatre @ Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), Japanese American National Museum (JANM), and the Union Center for the Arts. Additionally, the VC FILM FEST will bring programming to the Art Theatre of Long Beach;; closing out the festival with films that center Black, Southeast Asian and Pasifika stories.

 

“VC Film Fest honors our beloved elder cultural workers and their solidarity work, linking them to present and emerging artists who continue to empower our communities and challenge perspectives.” said Francis Cullado, Visual Communications Executive Director.

 

LA STORYTELLERS

As one of the most diverse cities in California, Los Angeles has many unique storytelling threads that connect the communities. Honoring that legacy, VC FILM FEST will present films that reflect some of the diverse talent  in LA, with films including:

  • The world premiere of NOBUKO MIYAMOTO: A SONG IN MOVEMENT: Directed by Quyên Nguyen-Le, Tadashi Nakamura this feature documentary is a sweeping tale that follows the life of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nobuko’s cultural impact stretched across both coasts of the nation and her work that changed Asian America forever.

  • CRUISIN’ J-TOWN: Produced in 1975 and directed by Duane Kubo, one of VC’s founders, this documentary explores the roots of the popular jazz fusion band Hiroshima and connects them to the era of pre-redevelopment Little Tokyo. Select group members discuss the sociological and cultural pulse of the early 1970s. Dan Kuramoto describes the political movements of the 1960s out of which Asian American music emerged, while June Kuramoto relates being ridiculed in her youth for playing the Japanese koto. Percussionist Johnny Mori delves into the influence of African American, Latino, and rock ‘n roll music on his art. The film goes beyond a mere profile of a band to investigate the core and influences of Asian American music.

 

VC ARCHIVES

Home to the VC Archives, of the largest photographic and moving image archives on Asian Pacific experiences in America, VC designed this year’s festival to honor the archives and VC’s practice of documenting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in California and beyond. In doing so,  VC Fest will present a slate of films, to celebrate that legacy, including:

  • STAND UP FOR JUSTICE : A Production of Visual Communications and Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress STAND UP FOR JUSTICE, directed by John Esaki, presents the story of Ralph Lazo, a 17-year-old Mexican American student at Belmont High School in Los Angeles who devises a remarkable plan to support his Japanese American friends confined at Manzanar concentration camp during World War II. After President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive order 9066, Ralph witnesses the pain and humiliation of his Japanese American friends and their families, who are forced to sell their belongings and “evacuate” to a concentration camp in a remote California desert. Against the backdrop of the chaos when armed soldiers ordered tens of thousands of Japanese Americans to board trains and buses to unknown destinations, Ralph’s response remains a rare act of friendship, loyalty and strong principles in a time of crisis.

  • PIECES OF A DREAM: Directed by Eddie Wong, one of Visual Communications’ Founders, this lyrical documentary follows Immigrant farm laborers — Chinese, Japanese, and the Filipino manongs — who came to America through Angel Island to work the land. PIECES OF A DREAM tells the story of Asian Pacific American life and history on the Sacramento River delta. Their stories are told through a montage of voices from the past, adapted from Victor Nee and Brett de Bary’s Longtime Californ’. Delta life is captured in lush, pastel colors and presented with the music of jazz/fusion band Hiroshima. A visit to the Locke Historic District, a town founded by Chinese immigrants shows viewers the sharp realities of the present: The crumbled wooden Chinatown looks like a quaint tourist landmark, but is revealed as low-income housing for the Delta’s poor; a Japanese American farmer talks about the pressures of the large agribusiness on small farmers. Original format: Documentary, 16mm, color Following the short film program, presented on Opening Day, VC Founder Duane Kubo will join Eddie in a fireside chat, to discuss the power of community, the synergy of media-production and civil rights activism, and early days of Visual Communications.

 

ARMED WITH A CAMERA

In continuation of VC’s mission to build connections between peoples and generations through  film, video, and media, VC FILM FEST will debut 24 works from VC’s artist development programs: Digital Histories (DH), designed to encourage older adults to make films with their perspective; and the Armed With A Camera Fellowship, a program that cultivates a rising generation of artists committed to social and political changes and movements, these storytellers are encouraged to empower communities and challenge perspectives through their creative works. This year, the AWC world premieres center the perspectives of 6 creatives and their artistic response to selections from the VC Archives. The AWC 2023-2024 artist cohort is comprised of:

  • Alfred Bordallo is a CHamoru visual artist from Guåhan currently based in Los Angeles. His work focuses on recollecting and honoring the fragmented and, more importantly, repurposed facets of CHamoru identity through the analog mediums of photography and video. Bordallo’s self-taught practice began in 2018 while attending the University of Southern California, and has since grown into editorial shoots for fashion and music, live-visual (VJ) sets accompanied with lo-fi hip-hop, and to video art installations that interrogate CHamoru identity within the context of indigeneity, diaspora, and imperialism.

  • Bryson Nihipali is a visual artist born and raised in Los Angeles with a passion for both photography and filmmaking. With ancestral ties to the Hawaiian and Philippine Islands, he draws much inspiration for his photographic work from his family and their rich cultural heritage. He is a current undergraduate studying Communication and Cinematic Arts at USC. As an aspiring filmmaker, he aims to focus on the indigenous diaspora and share his unique perspective with wider audiences. Embracing his diverse background and experiences, Bryson’s artistry reflects a deep connection to his roots and a drive to create impactful visual stories.

  • Honestine Pa’ala-Fraser is a writer and social media professional born and raised in the Los Angeles area. She graduated from CSU Long Beach with a BA in Communication Studies and went on to Syracuse University to receive her MS in Digital Communications. Her work can be found in publications like Teen Vogue, POPSUGAR, and HuffPost. She is passionate about storytelling and sharing the stories of the Pasifika community and is extremely excited to be a part of this year’s cohort!

  • Kayli Kimura is a Japanese-American creative director, visual storyteller, and talent manager. Her work spans across various genres with a focus on non-fiction storytelling and musically-driven films. In addition to her directorial and cinematography work, Kayli worked in the camera department for a variety of commercials, TV shows, documentaries and music videos including projects for Netflix, Hulu, Food Network, PBS, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Telfar. Kayli is the creative director and manager for Queens, NY-born, Nigerian-American rapper, AKINYEMI. Kayli was born and raised in Boulder, CO and recently relocated to LA after living in NYC for almost 5 years. She graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with majors in Sociology and Environmental Studies and a minor in Music.

  • Paula Kiley (she/her) is a multimedia journalist and documentary filmmaker who strives to tell stories that connect and empower people with information, the truth, and most importantly — one another. She most recently worked on a feature documentary titled Body Parts, a Sundance-selected film that explores the evolution of desire and “sex” on-screen from a female perspective — allowing women to reclaim the parts of themselves that have been objectified and exploited for decades. Paula received her BA in journalism and a minor in film at Cal State Long Beach and is currently a digital content coordinator at PBS SoCal where she produces arts and culture stories in the Greater Los Angeles area.

  • Zaynah Waseem is a graduate student at the University of Southern California pursuing her Master of Arts in Visual Anthropology. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies and Media & Cultural Studies from the University of California, Riverside. As a Pakistani-American, her work uplifts the diverse stories of South Asian, Muslim communities through ethnographic film, media production, digital storytelling, and archival research. Having grown up in various communities across the world, Zaynah has a special interest in exploring themes like memory, belonging, diaspora, immigrant experiences, third culture identities, and migration. Her most recent project was with NPR’s Next Gen Radio, through which she produced a non-narrated audio piece and a multimedia story. She is now working on her first documentary film as part of her master’s thesis project.

 

“The VC Archives are an unsung hero of LA storytelling. We’re thrilled to center the archives in the fest this year. It has been inspiring to share the archives with the next generation of artists, and witness how their practice grows VC’s legacy of community participatory media.” said Jason Tiangco, Visual Communications Archives Steward.

 

VC FILM FEST will feature over 150 films with: 37 World Premieres, 5 International Premieres, 11  North American/ United States Premieres, 24 West Coast Premieres and 37 Los Angeles Premieres. Highlights from the fest’s robust feature film lineup, include:

Narrative Features and Documentary Features will take us around the world: from the Uyghur Region, to Monterey Park to Pakistan and beyond. Some highlights, include:

  • World Premiere of HOME COURT: This documentary feature. Directed by Erica Tanamachi traces the ascent of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy whose life intensifies amid recruitment, injury, and triumph throughout her high school career.

  • JEWELLE: A JUST VISION, directed by Madeleine Lim, shines a hope-filled spotlight on the Lambda award-winning novelist, activist, and philanthropist, Jewelle Gomez, an Ioway/Wampanoag Native American, and Cape Verdean/Black lesbian Femme elder.

  • The North American Premiere of MADINA: Directed by Aizhan Kassymbek and starring Madina Akylbek, the narrative feature, starring Madina Akylbek, tells the story of a single mother’s day-to-day routine in a harsh Kazakhstan winter  -a battle for survival with lack of confidence in the present and lack of hope in the future.

  • The West Coast Premiere of NIKAH, directed by Mukaddas Mijit Mijit, Bastien Ehouzan is a Narrative Feature, from the Uyghur Region, that follows a 27-year-old woman who is still single, and has to endure pressure from her family to get married. Her friend Gulnur, who lives in Paris and with whom she shares her daily life by phone, then offers her a solution.

  • World Premiere of PAPER MARRIAGE: Written and directed by Jeff Man, with The Duplass Brothers as Executive Producers, this feature narrative follows a young professional seeking an U.S. green card enlists the help of a directionless slacker to stage a marriage. The two strangers have less than a year to convince everyone, including themselves, that they are a real couple.

  • World Premiere of SHAKA, A STORY OF ALOHA: Directed by Alexander Bocchieri, this feature documentary invites you on a global journey, from a temple in Japan to surf breaks in Brazil and the white sandy shores of Hawai’i, to discover the Shaka hand signʻs origin, meanings and why itʻs the secret to paradise.

  • The LA Premiere of WAKHRI: Written and directed by Iram Parveen Bilal. This drama travels to Pakistan to follow a widowed school teacher who becomes a viral sensation overnight when she accidentally unleashes her unabashed opinions on social media. This newfound fame comes with its own challenges as she must navigate archaic mindsets and secret identities.

  • World Premiere of Risa Morimoto’s WE CARE:  The documentary feature follows four Asian American families – The Shahanes in Cedar Park TX, the Herrs in Los Angeles, the Simtumuangs in New Jersey, and the Woos in Hemet, CA as they share their personal experiences, struggles and self-discoveries caregiving for aging family members.

DEMOCRACY SERIES:  This year, more than 80 nations will hold elections; and the current political commentary grows more urgent by the day, as Democracy seems to slowly break down in governments around the globe. The Democracy Series will be a courageous space to reflect on Democracy from different nations, through films including:

  • World Premiere of DISSIDENTS: Directed by Yi Chen, the film follows an artist’s sculpture is burnt down, a protester is charged with a criminal case, and a democracy movement is violently attacked. Not even exile is safe.

  • LA Premiere of AND SO IT BEGINS: In a decades-long nonfiction saga of the Philippines, director Ramona Diaz presents the latest chapter on her homeland as the despotic reign of President Rodrigo Duterte is coming to an end. And So It Begins proffers unbridled access to all the key players in the months leading up to the country’s 2022 presidential election. With her keen observational eye and deep knowledge of the socio-political history and landscape, Diaz continues to find her own forms of storytelling as political disruption.

  • LA Premiere of BREAKING THE CYCLE: This documentary feature, directed by Aekaphong Saransate, Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn,  captures the political awakening among Thais after the rise and fall of Thanatorn, a young politician who calls to end the cycle of coups d’etat. The film explores the 2019 election in Thailand, which marked the end of five years of full military rule and a new group of young politicians who campaign against an authoritarian constitution, sparking hope and a once-in-a-generation youth movement.

  • LA Premiere of INVISIBLE NATION: With unprecedented access to Taiwan’s sitting head of state, director Vanessa Hope investigates the election and tenure of Tsai Ing-wen, the first female president of Taiwan. Thorough, incisive and bristling with tension, Invisible Nation is a living account of Tsai’s tightrope walk as she balances the hopes and dreams of her nation between the colossal geopolitical forces of the U.S. and China.

PACIFIC CINEWAVES: Pacific Cinewaves programming celebrates stories and storytellers emerging from Hawai’i, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Guåhan (Guam), Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Samoa, and throughout the Pacific region. Film presentations include:

  • US Premiere of INKY PINKY PONKY (Dirs.: Ramon TeWake, Damon Fepuleai) Written by  Amanaki Prescott-Faletau, this feature film paints a tale of High School crushes with the new arrival of the fakaleiti (2 Spirited) Lisa causes a stir, particularly with rugby captain Mose.

  • LA Premiere of KŪKINI (Dir. Mitchel Merrik) LA Premiere: Written by Paula Fuga, In 1790 Hawaiʻi, an elite warrior must leave his family behind when sent on a deadly mission to report on the bloody war waged by Kamehameha against Maui. When captured by the enemy, he is miraculously saved by someone who has a message for him of their own.

  • LA Premiere of LEA TUPU’ANGA / MOTHER TONGUE (Dir. Vea Mafile’o): Written by Luciane Buchanan, this short film follows a young speech therapist who is disconnected from her Tongan heritage and lies about her Tongan language skills to get a job. Out of her depth, she must find a way to communicate or risk her patient’s life.

  • THE SHAUN NUA PROJECT (Jess Speight, Jake Zielenski): Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champion and USC defensive line coach Shaun Nua returns to his home island of American Samoa to donate uniforms to every high school football team. This short documentary celebrates the enduring spirit of American Samoa and highlights Shaun’s profound impact on his community, drawing powerful parallels to his own upbringing and the lack of support for athletes on the island.

OUR STORYTELLING POWER: This short film program is curated from arts organizations that  encourage community-centered filmmaking that begins with the community members as the lead creatives. Working with peers from the Color Congress cohort and beyond, this documentary lineup will feature Asian, Black and Latine communities from New York, Philadelphia, Rio Grande Valley, and San Diego, and will embody a multicultural solidarity that amplifies the combined storytelling power that can impact all of our lives. Participating films and organizations include:

  • THE BOTANICAL GARDENS: AN URBAN OASIS: Produced with guidance from ENTRE FILM CENTER in Rio Grande Valley, TX, this short documentary features archival footage of the McAllen Nature Center and interviews with Jessica Tanguma and Angelina Vasquez, 2 former park employees.

  • THE GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER: MIGRANTS IN THE WORKPLACE: Produced through EDUCATION VIDEO CENTER in New York, NY, this documentary explores the dangers of workplace exploitation among immigrant communities.

  • STAYING PUT: Produced by Philadelphia’s Chinatown Community Development Corporation, with guidance from SCRIBE VIDEO CENTER’S PRECIOUS PLACES COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT, the documentary traces voices from the 1960s to present day to chronicle Philadelphia Chinatown’s history of community and resistance to external forces of development, gentrification, and erasure.

  • LA NUEVA FLOR: Directed by Emmanuel Enriquez, with guidance from PacArts Reel Voices, this documentary follows a San Diego family as they discuss their past, present, and future familial blooms.

 

Tickets go on sale April 15, 2024 For more information, please visit festival.vcmedia.org.

Stay tuned for forthcoming announcements regarding attending talent, special presentations, panel programming and more!

FESTIVAL LINEUP

Special Presentation TBA

 Feature Documentary

ABOVE AND BELOW THE GROUND

Myanmar, Thailand, United States, 2023

Directed by: Emily Hong

Produced by: Maggie Lemere, Ja Nang Tsen, Emily Hong

Featuring: NA

Synopsis: In Myanmar’s first and only country-wide environmental movement, Indigenous punk rock pastors and women activists protect a sacred river from a Chinese-built megadam through protest, prayer, and Karaoke music videos.

West Coast Premiere

Feature Documentary

AND SO IT BEGINS

Philippines, US, 2024

Directed by: Ramona S. Diaz

Produced by: Ramona S. Diaz

Featuring: n/a

Synopsis:
In a decades-long nonfiction saga of the Philippines, director Ramona Diaz presents the latest chapter on her homeland as the despotic reign of President Rodrigo Duterte is coming to an end. And So It Begins proffers unbridled access to all the key players in the months leading up to the country’s 2022 presidential election. With her keen observational eye and deep knowledge of the socio-political history and landscape, Diaz continues to find her own forms of storytelling as political disruption.

Taking place in the thick of the Covid pandemic, And So It Begins is a shape-shifting story of the raucous collective act of joy expressed in a quirky resistance movement that pits itself against the haunting specter of increasing autocracy. Weaving together multiple narratives against the backdrop of a gloves-off campaign for the most powerful office in the land, what emerges is a dazzling cinematic portrait of a beleaguered nation fighting for its very soul.

Los Angeles Premiere

Feature Documentary

BREAKING THE CYCLE

Thailand, 2024

Directed by: Aekaphong Saransate, Thanakrit Duangmaneeporn

Produced by: Tanwarat Sombatwattana, Komtouch Napattaloong

Featuring: Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Pannika Wanich, Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, Panitaluck Manokhan, Yingcheep Atchanont, Kanokrat Lertchoosakul, Lalita Hanwong, Sulak Sivaraksa

Synopsis: Breaking The Cycle captures the political awakening among Thais after the rise and fall of Thanathorn, a young politician who calls to end the cycle of coup d’etat in the 2019 election.

U.S. Premiere

Feature Documentary

DISSIDENTS

United States, 2024

Directed by: Yi Chen

Produced by: Yi Chen

Featuring: Juntao Wang, Weiming Chen, Chunyan Wang

Synopsis: An artist’s sculpture is burnt down, a protestor is charged with a criminal case, and a democracy movement is violently attacked. Not even exile is safe.

World Premiere

Feature Documentary

HŌKŪLEʻA: :FINDING THE LANGUAGE OF THE NAVIGATOR

United States, 2023

Directed by: Ty Sanga

Produced by: Ann Botticelli, Heather Giugni, Sonja Rogers

Featuring: Nainoa Thompson, Wade Davis

Synopsis: Renowned navigator Nainoa Thompson and Wade Davis examine the mysteries of traditional wayfinding.

West Coast Premiere

Feature Narrative

INKY PINKY PONKY – THE ODD ONE OUT

NEW ZEALAND, 2022

Directed by: DAMON FEPULEA’I, RAMON TE WAKE

Produced by: Elizabeth Koroivulaono, Hope Papali’i

Featuring: Amanaki Prescott- Faletau, JP Foliake, Sesilia Pusiake, Bianca Seinafo

Synopsis: A new fakaleiti student at St Valentines High causes a stir, as rugby players, gender fluidity, Island mums and transphobia converge in this high school romance like no other.

U.S. Premiere

Feature Documentary

JEWELLE: A JUST VISION

United States, 2022

Directed by: Madeleine Lim

Produced by: Madeleine Lim

Featuring: Ajuan Mance, professor of African American literature; Brian Freeman, playwright and co-founder of Afro Pomo Homos; Cheryl Clarke, poet and former Rutgers University professor; Crystal Jang, co-founder of Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community; Denise DeJean, friend; Diane Sabin, beloved spouse; Dorothy Allison, author of Bastard Out of Carolina; Jennifer DeVere Brody, Stanford University professor of Theater & Performance Studies; Katherine Acey, Executive Director Emerita of the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice; Kim Shuck, San Francisco Poet Laureate and Cherokee artist; Nancy Bereano, founder of Firebrand Books; Phillip LeClaire, brother; Troy Rockett, artist and actor

Synopsis: From Black Power in late-60s Boston, to AIDS activism in mid-80s New York, to Marriage Equality in early-10s San Francisco,JEWELLE: A Just Vision, shines a hope-filled spotlight on the Lambda award-winning novelist, activist, and philanthropist, Jewelle Gomez, an Ioway/Wampanoag Native American, and Cape Verdean/Black lesbian Femme elder.

Feature Narrative

NIKAH

China, France, 2024

Directed by: Mukaddas Mijit, Bastien Ehouzan

Synopsis: 2017, Uyghur Region. Dilber, a 27-year-old woman who is still single, has to endure pressure from her family to get married. Her friend Gulnur, who lives in Paris and with whom she shares her daily life by phone, then offers her a solution.

West Coast Premiere

Feature Documentary

NOWHERE NEAR

USA, Philippines, 2023

Directed by: Miko Revereza

Produced by: Shireen Seno

Featuring: Pedro Revereza II, Aurora Fernandez Revereza, Paul Revereza, Jet Revereza, Jovito Gutierrez, Lourdes Gutierrez, Geraldine Inigo, Matthew Revereza, Matthew So, Kristian Henson, Joseph Revereza, PJ Bautista, Sincero Bautista, Helen Aquino Bautista, Salvamar Bautista, Nora Ramos, Kuya Ming & Family, Carolina Fusilier

Synopsis: A poetic memoir through the lens of a stateless person returning to an estranged homeland.

Feature Narrative

SALLI

Taiwan, Mandarin, English, French, 2024

Directed by: Chien-Hung Lien

Produced by: Amanda Manyin Reinert, Uilin Ong

Featuring: Esther Liu, Austin Lin, Ying Hung Lee, Li Yin Yang, Yung Hsu Tang

Synopsis: An online romance with a foreigner takes a lonely middle-aged chicken farmer to an unknown land. Despite everyone saying it is a romance scam, she wants to prove that her love indeed exists.

U.S. Premiere

Feature Narrative

SMOKING TIGERS

USA, 2023

Directed by: So Young Shelly Yo

Produced by: Guo Guo

Featuring: Ji-young Yoo, Joon Ho Jung, Abin Andrews, Erin Choi

Synopsis: over one summer spent at an elite academic bootcamp, a lonely korean-american teenager hides her true identity to fit in with her new friends, only to discover the bittersweet pains of adulthood.

Los Angeles Premiere

Feature Narrative

WAKHRI

Pakistan, USA, 2024

Directed by: Iram Parveen Bilal

Produced by: Abid Aziz Merchant, Apoorva Bakshi, Iram Parveen Bilal

Featuring: Faryal Mehmood, Gulshan Majeed, Shees Sajjad Gul, Akbar Islam, Bakhtawar Mazhar, Sohail Sameer, Saleem Meraj, Tooba Siddiqui

Synopsis: A widowed school teacher becomes a viral senasation overnight when she accidentally unleashes her unabashed opinions on social media. This newfound fame comes with its own challenges as she must navigate archaic mindsets and secret identities.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

120,000 LUMENS

U.S.A., 2024

Directed by: Scott Oshima

Produced by: Scott Oshima

Synopsis: “120,000 lumens,” a short experimental documentary, observes the time and memory embodied by a historic Japanese American building.

World Premiere

Short Film

A SHADOW’S GLOW

United States, 2023

Directed by: Josh Mizrahi, Cole Fourqurean

Produced by: Allison Witzmann

Featuring: N/A

Synopsis: A creature of shadow cares for a young spirit of light, guiding him home through a dark realm.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

AIKANE

USA, 2023

Directed by: Daniel Sousa, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson

Produced by: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu

Featuring: n/a

Synopsis: A valiant island warrior, wounded in battle against foreign invaders, falls into a mysterious underwater world. When the octopus who rescued him transforms into a handsome young man, they fall in love and an epic adventure begins

Short Film

ALL THIS WASTED SPACE

The Philippines, 2023

Directed by: Cris Bringas

Produced by: Mark Cyril Bautista

Featuring: Angelu (as an actor, Angelu prefers to use just her first name)

Synopsis: The search for a burial token for her mother forces a woman to dig up a buried past and confront the house she abandoned for 11 years. As she descends, the house speaks to her.

North American Premiere

Short Film

ANCESTORS

United States, 2024

Directed by: Emilio J. Virata, Jr.

Produced by: Emilio J. Virata, Jr.

Featuring: Emilio J. Virata, Jr.

Synopsis: Reflections on Ancestry are expressed in this poem put to film.

World Premiere

Short Film

APARTMENT 605

USA, 2023

Directed by: Bianca Catbagan

Produced by: Andrea A. Walter, Bianca Catbagan

Featuring: Elena Heuzé, Zedrick Restauro

Synopsis: Mika visits their father’s apartment when they are interrupted by a stranger at the door.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

ART21: CHRISTINE SUN KIM

United States, 2023

Directed by: Chiemi Karasawa

Produced by: Nick Ravich

Featuring: Christine Sun Kim

Synopsis: A portrait of artist Christine Sun Kim and her practice.

Short Film

BABY GAY

USA, 2024

Directed by: Arielle Frances Bagood

Produced by: Sam Shapiro, Melissa Peng

Featuring: Valerie Yu, Leah Zhang, Maya Knell, Mia Sydney

Synopsis: Desperate to finally prove her bisexuality, Stevie Lee bluffs her way into a lesbian threesome thinking she’ll “figure it out” when she gets there.

Short Film

BEST FIENDS

United States, 2024

Directed by: Jonathan De Guzman II

Produced by: Alec Cohen-Schisler, Alexander L. Dunn, Leatrice Ching

Featuring: Ryan Gatus, Quinn Vu, Gina May Gimongala

Synopsis: Two best friends confront each other about their friendship and vape addiction.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

BIRD DRONE

Australia, 2023

Directed by: Radheya Jegatheva

Produced by: Hannah Ngo

Featuring: NA

Synopsis: A lonely seagull struggles to accept that his newfound object of affection is a human-operated drone with a limited battery life.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

BRONX PARK THUNDER

USA, 2024

Directed by: Shaun Vivaris

Produced by: Michael Villucci

Featuring: Kurt Griarte, Franchesca Contreras, Laurent Amzallag, Emmanuelle Feliz, Alex Black, Ben Joseph, Anand Tripathi, Daniel Babij

Synopsis: Forced to run an errand for a Bronx mafioso, a small-time fireworks andecstasy dealer seizes the opportunity of a lifetime and goes rogue.

World Premiere

Short Film

BURNING WELL

USA, 2023

Directed by: M.G. Evangelista

Produced by: Simone Ling; Robert C Winn

Featuring: Senator Ladda Tammy Duckworth; Chanel Akiko Kipper

Synopsis: A candid conversation with Senator Ladda Tammy Duckworth, army veteran, mother, one of only two AAPI senators currently serving in the United States Congress.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

CHRONICLES OF A SANSEI ROCKER

USA, 2024

Directed by: Cory Shiozaki

Produced by: Cory Shiozaki

Featuring: Harry Manaka

Synopsis: Former musician and 3rd generation Japanese American fulfilling an item on his “bucket list” writing a book of his memoirs of the coming of age during the tumultuous 60’s and 70’s.

World Premiere

Short Film

COME TOGETHER

United States, 2024

Directed by: Honestine Pa’ala-Fraser

Produced by: Aura Rico

Featuring: Nina Sosefina, Vai Manai, Christian Vunipola, Raelynn Hymas

Synopsis: Inspired by the 1978 documentary “Omai Fa’atasi: Samoa Mo Samoa,” a teenage girl growing up in a strict Samoan household lives the same day everyday cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her siblings until she joins a community organization that helps her realize her full potential.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

DAISY IS GONE

U.S., 2024

Directed by: Ziyao Liu

Produced by: Changhui Shi, Yueyi Xing

Featuring: Stacy Chu, Stanley Wong, David Maquiling

Synopsis: An absurdist sci-fi with comedic overtones.

World Premiere

Short Film

DOG, BRUH!

USA, 2022

Directed by: Katja!

Produced by: Yingu Chen

Featuring: Matthew Mitchell Espinosa, Henrie Thompson, Trodarius Provo, Maya Bello

Synopsis: Remember that one time in 1995 when Shawn appropriated Black culture to impress his crush and best friend to the Prom?

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

EAT SLEEP POOP AND PASS GAS

2024

Directed by: Fran Ito

Synopsis: January 2024 Fran Ito celebrated her 92nd birthday. It’s a miracle that she is still here on earth enjoying life with family and friends in the midst of life threatening health issues. God is good!

World Premiere

Short Film

FRAGMENTED

United States, 2024

Directed by: Tina Quach

Produced by: Jiming Sun Lindal

Featuring: Ge Geng, Paul Wong, Angel Jin, Darren Huang, Patrick Chou, Florence Ding, Kai-yong Laurizen

Synopsis: The late stage of dementia erases memories of his wife, but her recollection of their past renews their bond.

World Premiere

Short Film

GRAPEFRUIT

USA, 2024

Directed by: Jessica Liu

Produced by: Jessica Liu, Kimberly Divad, Nandi Zulu Peck

Featuring: Hana Wu, Kimberly Divad

Synopsis: Strangers connect over grapefruit, jelly, and a chance to truly be seen.

World Premiere

Short Film

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Kazakhstan, 2023

Directed by: Camila Sagyntkan

Produced by: Camila Sagyntkan

Featuring: Erken Gubashev, Kamila Fun So

Synopsis: After the death of his love, a middle-aged man tries to find a new sense of life against all changes in the country.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

HOMESTEAD

United States, 2023

Directed by: Justin Pascua

Produced by: Justin Pascua

Featuring: Aiden Phengsy, Liane Phengsy

Synopsis: A local farmer Liane works on her Japanese cucumber farm with only the help of her grandson Aiden, and her husband Boun, with hopes to return to her home in Laos and reunite with her children after 20 years.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

I LOVE YOU, YOUR KAMO

United States, 2022

Directed by: Isaac Kau

Produced by: Isaac Kau and Ian Lima

Featuring: Fern Kuo, Michelle Jonan, Bailey

Synopsis: A 93-year old Taiwanese widow recounts her love story with her late husband and the sacrifices they made for their children while 6,891 miles apart.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

I WOULD’VE BEEN HAPPY

USA, 2023

Directed by: Jordan Wong

Produced by: Jordan Wong

Featuring: Jordan Wong

Synopsis: An attempt to map a fraught relationship through the use of intricately coded pictographs and schematic abstractions applied onto glazed ceramic tiles and quilted cyanotype fabric. The aesthetics of architectural language are used to reconstruct memories of my family’s domestic spaces in the hope to uncover logic to a broken home.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

INTO THE EMERALD SEA

Japan, 2024

Directed by: Asuka Lin

Produced by: Giuliana Foulkes, Charlotte Hong Bee Her

Featuring: Arisa Leisure, Misao Tamai

Synopsis: Suzu emerges from the ocean after a long disappearance, reuniting with their grandmother – who has reincarnated into sea turtle.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO LIVE YOUR DREAM

USA, 2024

Directed by: Tracy Quan-Nichols

Produced by: Tracy Quan-Nichols

Featuring: Parker Dean

Synopsis: Meet artist Parker Dean and see how it’s never too late to follow your dream.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

KAI HALI ªA (SEA OF MEMORY)

Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, 2024

Directed by: Angelique Kalani Axelrode

Produced by: aka productions, Tiare Ribeaux, Kiki Rivera

Featuring: Brigitte Leilani Axelrode, Kalikopuanoheaokalani Aiu, Trisha Hattie Perreira-Axelrode

Synopsis: Through layers of space, time and memory across the ocean and ʻāina (land) on Maui, a diasporic Kānaka (Hawaiian) remembers how to connect back to themselves, their family and their lover.

North American Premiere

Short Film

KILIG!

United States, 2023

Directed by: Kacey Layson

Produced by: Achim Mendoza

Featuring: Ariana Basco, Aurora-Blessing Basco, Fenix Basco, Angelina Regoso

Synopsis: “A film about a mother and daughter, meeting each other where they are.”

Short Film

KOWLOON!

USA, 2024

Directed by: Mona Xia, Erin Ramirez

Produced by: Mona Xia, Erin Ramirez

Featuring: Bobby Wong, Stanley Wong, Andy Wong, Lillian Moy

Synopsis: As the biggest Chinese restaurant in the US, Kowloon represents the Wong family’s American Dream come true. However, as third-generation owners Bobby Wong and his brothers approach their seventies, they consider the weight of their family and community legacy.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

LA NUEVA FLOR

United States, 2023

Directed by: Emmanuel Enriquez

Produced by: Emmanuel Enriquez

Featuring: Family

Synopsis: Building upon their foundational roots, a family discusses their past, present, and future familial blooms.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

LEA TUPU’ANGA | MOTHER TONGUE

New Zealand, 2024

Directed by: Vea Mafile’o

Produced by: Alex Lovell, Eldon Booth

Featuring: Luciane Buchanan, Albert Rounds, Mikey Falesiu, Michael Koloi, Elizabeth Thomson

Synopsis: A young speech therapist disconnected from her Tongan heritage lies about her Tongan language skills to get a job. Out of her depth, she must find a way to communicate or risk her patient’s life.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

LET LOVE FLOW – AN OH MYH DATING HELL STORY

United States, 2024

Directed by: Ryan Fukuda

Produced by: Vincent Hoai Pham

Featuring: MYHRALIZA AALA as Myh DeLeon, NICK SERRONE as Dan The Man Ford, CHRISTINA UYENO as Brit, RUBY UPADHYAY REID as Kareena, KRISTINA HADDAD as Auntie Erlinda, RICH COHN-LEE as Steve, DOUG SELLERS as George, KVETKA SANCHEZ as Glow, REBECCA MORSE as Dance Instructor, BRANSEN SANDS as Eddy,  SOPHIE INOUYE as Young Myh, LILIANA INOUYE as Teenage Myh

Synopsis: A woman past her prime age of marriage, seeking to find her perfect match, goes blindly into a date using a new app, only to find it’s someone a little too close to
home.

World Premiere

Short Film

LOVE WITHOUT WORDS

United States, 2024

Directed by: Bryan Takeda

Produced by: Bryan Takeda

Featuring: Frank Sata

Synopsis: Upon reflection, a son expresses his gratitude and love for his father without words.

World Premiere

Short Film

MARAHORO

Chile, 2024

Directed by: Camila Flores Hevia, Sofía Rodríguez Pizero

Produced by: Camila Flores Hevia, Camila Flores Hevia, Sofía Rodríguez Pizero

Featuring: Poike Tuki Mejía, Aka-hanga Rapu Tuki, Sicky Rapu Tuki

Synopsis: Marahoro is a 15-year-old Rapa-Nui boy who finds in an ancient holler the strength to confront his father’s harshness and pursue his calling from the voices of the sea.

North American Premiere

Short Film

MOSQUITO LADY

USA, 2023

Directed by: Kristine Gerolaga

Produced by: Kristine Gerolaga, Steven Krimmel, Lauren Bancroft, Jesus Beltran

Featuring: Hanna Lorica, Maria Lingbanan, Ina Dahilig, Rhandy Torres

Synopsis: Terrified of telling her parents that she’s pregnant as restrictions to abortion access worsen, a desperate teenager seeks the help of a reclusive neighbor who her parents warned her about.

Short Film

NEVER GO HUNGRY AGAIN!

USA, 2024

Directed by: Bernice Ng

Produced by: Bernice Ng

Featuring: Bernice Ng

Synopsis: A daughter uncovers her mother’s tumultuous past in China, inspiring a collaborative book detailing survival, resilience, and triumph in America.

World Premiere

Short Film

NO ESCAPE

United States, 2024

Directed by: Leena Kurishingal

Produced by: Timothy Farrell, Leena Kurishingal

Featuring: Leena Kurishingal, Mike Monreal, Shivani Thakkar, Parvesh Cheena, Gregory Hollimon

Synopsis: A couple’s romantic weekend in the woods goes awry with an unwelcome spooky arrival.

World Premiere

Short Film

OF SILENCE AND SONG

United States, 2023

Directed by: Dai Leyi

Produced by: Alex Jiang, Lameng Bei

Featuring: Kim Jiang Dubaniewicz, Christine Marian Tang, Lynne Bolen, Grace Mar, Sharon Gardner

Synopsis: A pregnant single mother grapples with revealing the truth to her family as she navigates a world embroiled in a crisis over women’s bodily autonomy.

Short Film

OVER EASY

USA, 2023

Directed by: Jiyeon Kim-Myung

Produced by: Kevin Yiu, Jiyeon Kim-Myung, “Anna” Yuxing Lei, Shamel Fadloun

Featuring: Kaitlyn Ohara, Christine Liao

Synopsis: Two women who just wanted a fun and casual night are delivered a giant egg that will hatch into their baby and are forced to make important life decisions.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

PERFECT CITY: THE BRAVEST KID

USA, China, 2023

Directed by: Shengwei Zhou

Produced by: Shengwei Zhou, Lei Wang

Featuring: Meng Wu, Shengwei Zhou

Synopsis: Chased by a knife hand, a paper boy gradually finds out his biggest fear is the same as his hope.

Short Film

REACH OUT

USA, 2024

Directed by: John Haas

Produced by: Menchie Caliboso, Joanne Danganan

Featuring: Vanessa Acosta, Menchie Caliboso, Andrew Dickson, Roger Rigor

Synopsis: In an intergenerational collaboration between Los Angeles-based electronica/soul trio Bootleg Orchestra and singer Roger Rigor from iconic Filipino band VST & Co, this short documentary explores the creative process of producing a song that calls for international solidarity for climate justice and highlights the role of music in giving life to a movement.

World Premiere

Short Film

ROCK THE CRADLE

Canada, 2023

Directed by: Asis Sethi

Produced by: Daisy Kaur Guron, Rabiya Mansoor

Featuring: Gauri Prasad, Sukhman Gill, Ronica Sajnani, Sarabjeet Singh Arora, Jasmine Sawant, Keerthi Paikera, Rehraas Sethi Randhawa, Amayra Patel

Synopsis: When the grips of postpartum depression engulf a new struggling South Asian mother, she must learn to stay afloat without drowning in her own darkness.

International Premiere

Short Film

SEE YOU, DEN

2024

Directed by: Don Bannai

Synopsis: Playing music is playing from the heart. Alan Furutani, the groups Visions and Fujazz have provided a soundtrack for us for fifty years.

World Premiere

Short Film

SHOT CLOCK

USA, 2024

Directed by: King Lu

Produced by: Jera Wang, Aaron Yu

Featuring: Anthony Yu, Mayoum Mayoum, “Never Miss” Allie, Lion Dodsworth, Geoff D. Green, David Kasner, Ryon Thomas, Addison Ferguson

Synopsis: Three teenagers – an Asian boy, Black boy, and Latina girl – weaponize their race and gender to hustle people at basketball in LA.

Short Film

SO, THAT HAPPENED

United States, 2024

Directed by: Neha Aziz

Produced by: Mase Kerwick, Alifya Ali

Featuring: Anu Mysore, Harsh Milan

Synopsis: Sheila and Imran haven’t seen each other since college, but when Imran moves back to Austin, an opportunity arises for the pair to get acquainted once more.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

SPECIAL CAMP

USA, 2024

Directed by: Teresa Takaki Matsushima

Produced by: Teresa Takaki Matsushima

Featuring: Marion Masada, Teresa Takaki Matsushima

Synopsis: Special Camp, for the Asian American developmentally disabled, celebrates its 50th year in 2024.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

SQUEEGEE BOY

USA, 2024

Directed by: Chung-Wei Huang

Produced by: Taelor Clay

Featuring: Cody Vu, Jenny Jia, Ahmir Ingram, Amari Stewart, Malachi White, Ying Zhang, Lauren Jackson, Tiffany Ho

Synopsis: On a quest for belonging and acceptance, a trans teenager yearns to become part of a tight-knit group of squeegee boys in Baltimore city.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

STRANGE

Japan, 2023

Directed by: Ken Ochiai

Produced by: Shizuha Sanada

Featuring: Towa Araki

Synopsis: An introverted suburban Tokyo high school student randomly encounters a depressed drag queen, and through their friendship they learn to overcome their internal fears.

Short Film

TEN TIMES BETTER

US, 2024

Directed by: Jennifer Lin

Produced by: Jon Funabiki, Cory Lin Stieg, Jennifer Lin

Featuring: George Lee

Synopsis: Prodded by his refugee mother to be ‚en times better‚ in white America, George Lee is an 89-year-old blackjack dealer in Las Vegas who battled hardship and racism to become an Asian American pioneer in ballet and on Broadway.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

THE 7TH NIGHT: MAOMAO REVISITS

Malaysia, 2023

Directed by: ahLoong

Produced by: Edmund Chan, Raye Lee

Featuring: LynLing, Dasimah

Synopsis: This is a story about a little boy waiting for the return of his lost beloved cat MaoMao.

Short Film

THE BOXER AND THE ASTRONAUT

Philippines, 2024

Directed by: Jake Muñoz Consing

Produced by: Jake Muñoz Consing, Sita Valenzuela, Risa Marie Magtuto

Featuring: Nikko Delos Santos, JM San Jose, Roldan Aldea, Jun Tomagan

Synopsis: After a car accident, a paralyzed boxer struggles to regain his relationship with his 9-year-old son when his mother leaves them behind.

World Premiere

Short Film

THE GRASS ISN’T ALWAYS GREENER: MIGRANTS IN THE WORKPLACE

United States, 2024

Directed by: Arianny Gallardo, Daniel Sanchez Diaz, Edickson Espinosa, Franchesca Thomas, Francis Genao, Giosmar Garcia, Hajjasow Cisse, John Michel, Jose Paucar, Mathias Flores Uchuypoma, Mously Thiam, Nyla Collado, Quesly Gonzalez, Sajidur Rahman, Talyah Golding

Produced by: Arianny Gallardo, Daniel Sanchez Diaz, Edickson Espinosa, Franchesca Thomas, Francis Genao, Giosmar Garcia, Hajjasow Cisse, John Michel, Jose Paucar, Mathias Flores Uchuypoma, Mously Thiam, Nyla Collado, Quesly Gonzalez, Sajidur Rahman, Talyah Golding

Synopsis: Made by young people, The Grass Isn’t Always Greener: Migrants in the Workplace, explores the dangers of workplace exploitation among immigrant communities.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

THE QUEEN’S FLOWERS

USA, Hawaii, 2024

Directed by: Ciara Leina’ala Lacy

Produced by: Concepcion Saucedo-Trejo, Ciara Leina ªala Lacy

Featuring: Starr K. Kalāhiki, Ku’umilileika’iulani Tuitele, Kamehameha Schools Childrenʻs Chorus

Synopsis: A magical take on a true story, THE QUEENʻS FLOWERS is an animated short adventure for kids that follows Emma, a Native Hawaiian girl in 1915 Honolulu, as she makes a special gift for the last monarch of Hawai`i, Queen Lili`uokalani.

West Coast Premiere

Short Film

THIS IS A STORY WITHOUT A PLAN

United States, 2023

Directed by: Cassie Shao

Synopsis: Two people, and an explosion.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

TUIA NGĀ HERE

Aotearoa, 2024

Directed by: Kura Turuwhenua, Heriata Rurehe

Produced by: Oriwa Hakaraia, Jessica-Lee Berghan, Madeleine Hakaraia de Young, Te Tomairangi o Matariki Black

Featuring: Te Atahaia Durie, Inia Manawatāwhi Rangiāo, Michael Paku, Christine Nepata-Kidwell

Synopsis: “When a young boy fears for his grandfather‚Äôs health he looks to the land to seek the cure”

International Premiere

Short Film

VS

United States of America, 2024

Directed by: Jole Sanchez

Produced by: Jole Sanchez, Derek Basco, Annalea Fiachi

Featuring: Deuce Basco, Derrick Watson, Everett Harrison, Derek Basco

Synopsis: Set in 1992, a Filipino kid working at his father’s liquor store seeks community through the arcade game Street Fighter II, but finds himself clashing with a local bully.

World Premiere

Short Film

WEATHER FORECAST: AUGMENTED!

Taiwan, United States, 2024

Directed by: Pei-Lun Hsieh

Produced by: Pei-Lun Hsieh

Featuring: N/A

Synopsis: A girl working in a weather forecast studio discovers an augmented weather display system that can also change the forecasted weather.

Los Angeles Premiere

Short Film

WINDHORSE

Nepal, 2023

Directed by: Sunil Gurung

Produced by: Asha Magrati, Deepak Rauniyar

Featuring: Jampa Kalsang Tamang, Sudarshan Gurung

Synopsis: Sonam and his estranged son Karma journey to ancestral monasteries in the mountains to light butter lamps in memory of Sonam’s deceased wife.

North American Premiere