I’m so excited about the upcoming Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival this April 27th with films that represent diversity from across the world. I’ve attended over the years and have always been impressed by the selection of films form comedy to documentary to drama that truly represent the diversity that often is overlooked in entertainment. I also recommend attendance of the C3 Conference that will focus on Future Forward a full day of panels with creatives from behind the camera talking issues that are important to those starting out in the business as well as established creatives.
On my list to see:
Colored Hearts
ROBIN JOHNSON, SOMLIT INTHALANGSY / USA / 2017 / 15 MINS
A modern day couple is forced to end their interracial relationship. This is a love story about an Asian American/African American couple inspired by a true story.
Bronzeville, Little Tokyo
EVENTS, SPECIAL PRESENTATION, TRANSMEDIA
FREE PROGRAM. “Bronzeville, Little Tokyo” sheds light on an overlooked moment in history when Japanese and Japanese-Americans were displaced and African-Americans moved into Little Tokyo. To honor this period, there will be 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.
Bronzeville, Little Tokyo
Historic Nishi Building
April 29, 2017 3:00 pmFREE
Bronzeville, Little Tokyo
Historic Nishi Building
April 30, 2017 3:00 pmFREE
Bronzeville, Little Tokyo
Union Center for the Arts Courtyard
April 30, 2017 6:00 pmFREE
Occasionally, I Saw Glimpses of Hawai‘i
CHRISTOPHER MAKOTO YOGI / SHORTS COMPETITION / USA / 2016 / 15 MINS
A film essay looking at 100 years of Hawai‘i in film, explores issues of representation and gender. This filmic deconstruction is a lively, often infuriating examination of Hollywood’s portrayal of the islands, highlighting the essential necessity of homegrown filmmaking.
Three Sassy Sisters
NIA DINATA / SPECIAL PRESENTATION / INDONESIA / 2016 / 124 MINS
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.
Welcome To My Life
ELIZABETH ITO / USA / 2015 / 8 MINS
In this mockumentary short, a family of monsters tries to lead a normal American life.
Plays In:
Itsy Bitsy Shorts
Tateuchi Democracy Forum
April 29, 2017 10:00 am
Wexford Plaza
JOYCE WONG / NARRATIVE COMPETITION / CANADA / 2017 / 82 MINS
A slice-of-life dark comedy about a lonely female security guard, and the misunderstood sexual encounter that unravels her life.
WEXFORD PLAZA
Downtown Independent
May 1, 2017 7:00 pm
Who Is Arthur Chu?
YU GU, SCOTT DRUCKER / DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION, LAAPFF BEST OF THE FEST IN OC / USA / 2017 / 90 MINS
WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? follows the controversial 11-time Jeopardy! winner turned Internet iconoclast, Arthur Chu, as he struggles to reform society and himself in a seminal year.
WHO IS ARTHUR CHU?
Downtown Independent
May 1, 2017 9:30 pm Buy Tickets
WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? (ENCORE)
CGV Buena Park
May 6, 2017 9:30 pm
C3: Saturday – Motion Picture Editors Guild: “Editing for Animation and Stop Motion”
C3 CONFERENCE / PANEL / 75 MINS
A contemplative dialogue with the editors from some of the biggest box office animated/stop motion films in history – discussing the industry, their processes and their look into the future of animation. *Panels are not individually sold. The admission fee for one day will include all the panels on that day. The admission fee for both days will include all the panels of the C3 Conference.
C3: Saturday – Motion Picture Editors Guild: “Editing for Animation and Stop Motion”
Aratani Central Hall at JANM
April 29, 2017 1:45 pm
2017 LAAPF GALA PRESENTATIONS
OPENING NIGHT FILM | BETTER LUCK TOMORROW | DIRECTED BY JUSTIN LIN
APRIL 27 | 7:00 PM | EGYPTIAN THEATER
Come celebrate the 15th anniversary of BETTER LUCK TOMORROW (co-presented by YOMYOMF)! The film premiered at Sundance amid controversy and is a benchmark for APA cinema. The Festival is screening the original Sundance cut, in glorious 35mm film. Director Justin Lin will present the film and joined by his cast for this anniversary celebration.
CENTERPIECE FILM | GOOK | DIRECTED BY JUSTIN CHON
APRIL 29 | 8:00 PM | ARATANI THEATER
Eli and Daniel are two Korean-American brothers who own a struggling shoe store. They have a unique and unlikely friendship with a young 11-year-old African American girl, Kamilla. The film is set during the first day of the LA riots, forcing them to defend their store while contemplating the future of their own personal dreams and the meaning of family.
Director/Writer and Actor Justin Chon and his cast and crew will be in attendance to present this film.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM | COLUMBUS | DIRECTED BY KOGONADA
MAY 4 | 7:00 PM | DIRECTOR’S GUILD OF AMERICA
Casey lives with her mother in a little-known Midwestern town haunted by the promise of modernism. Jin, a visitor from the other side of the world, attends to his dying father. Burdened by the future, they find respite in one another and the architecture that surrounds them.
Cast and crew of COLOMBUS including JOHN CHO will be in attendance.
ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILMS HIGHLIGHTS AT LAAPFF 2017:
COMPETITION NARRATIVES
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CARDINAL X Dir.: Angie Wang
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CHEE AND T Dir.: Tanuj Chopra
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COLUMBUS Dir.: Kogonada
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GOOK Dir.: Justin Chon
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I CAN I WILL I DID Dir.: Nadine Truong
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THE LOCKPICKER Dir.: Randall Okita
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NORMAN JONES Dir.: Mike Sakamoto
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WEXFORD PLAZA Dir.: Joyce Wong
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WINDOW HORSES Dir.: Ann Marie Fleming
COMPETITION DOCUMENTARIES
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95 AND 6 TO GO Dir.: Kimi Takesue
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A TIME TO SWIM Dir.: Ashley Duong
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FINDING KUKAN Dir.: Robin Lung
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GHOST MAGNET ROACH MOTEL Dir.: Shinpei Takeda
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MELE MURALS Dir.: Tadashi Nakamura
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MIXED MATCH Dir.: Jeff Chiba Stearns
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RESISTANCE AT TULE LAKE Dir.: Konrad Aderer
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SAVE MY SEOUL Dir.: Jason Y. Lee
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UNBROKEN GLASS Dir.: Dinesh Sabu
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WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? Dirs.: Yu Gu and Scott Drucker
INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
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MOTHERLAND Dir.: Ramona S. Diaz
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PLASTIC CHINA Dir.: Wang Jiu-liang
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SMALL TALK Dir.: Huang Hui-Chen
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TOKYO IDOLS Dir.: Kyoko Miyake
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES
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BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK Dir.: Anocha Suwichakornpong
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DIAMOND ISLAND Dir: Davy Chou
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KING OF PEKING Dir.: Sam Voutas
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POP AYE Dir.: Kristen Tan
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RESEBA – THE DARK WIND Dir.: Hussein Hassan
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THE ROAD TO MANDALAY Dir.: Midi Z
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SAVING SALLY Dir.: Avid Liongoren
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THE SOUL OF THE TIGER Dir.: François Yang
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THE SOWER Dir.: Yosuke Takeuchi
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TAXI STORIES Dir.: Doris Yeung
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TURN LEFT TURN RIGHT Dir.: Douglas Seok
SPECIAL FILM PRESENTATIONS
- ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL – Dir.: Steve James
- JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. SUPERPOWER – Dir.: Joe Piscatella
- YELLOW (20th Anniversary Screening) Dir.: Chris Chan Lee
For complete program information please visit festival.vconline.org.
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