Program Book 2008 Small

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San Diego Asian Film Festival.

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Monster-sizedinterviews!

©20

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Contents

5 About SDAFF

7 Special Events

8 Ticket Info

12 Festival Schedule

14 Member Information

15 Program Guide

82 Foundation& Festival Staff

Scene from ALIEN ABDUCTION, featured in this year’s Animation: The Illusion of Life program, (page 26)

4 | The 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival

Welcome to the ninth season of the of t eSan Diego Asian Film Festival! We have ccome atival! We havelong way since we began in 2000, and this ys year’sn 2000, and tprogramming is a reflection of our maturity y ands agrowth. We are thrilled to showcase films frorom 17 ase filmd tcountries and expand our festival into Riversidedeinto Rivd our for the first time.

here is so much to offer. From our opening nightour g no mTherfilm, the hilarious PING PONG PLAYA, directed byA yectedPONfilmAcademy Award winner Jessica Yu, to our closing r JesAcanight film, the charming Japanese drama ALWAYS2: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET, more than 140ON EET, m 140short and feature films are packed into this festival. atu packedWe hope you “Catch them all.”“Cat all ”

I’m personally excited to see so many films lmsmade by or about women this season. Along

WelcomeCatch Them All!

bove, with director Jessica Yu noted abmmaker Jennifer Phang will join us for filmmaker Jennifer Phang will jo

her critically-acclaimed Sundance film her critically-acclaimed SunHALF-LIFE; first-time director Hein Seok LIFE; first-timbrings us an intimate documentary on us an intimatKorean “comfort women” in HOUSEfK mffOF SHARING; THE FISH FALL IN LOVE O RINGoffers a delectable story about an Iranian n Iraniawoman who cooks her way into thethe heart of a former lover; and the beautiful actress Sheetal Sheth returns to our ac returnfestival for THE WORLD UNSEEN, as anIndian woman living in South Africa during ng in Sou uring he Apartheid. Others include SHAMEthe Apartheid. Others incluarthei E, clude S

OWS IN THE PALACE, FAMILYSHADOWS IN THE PALAWS YLACE, FURS TRULY MISS CHINATOWINC., YOURS TRULY MISSUR WN, ATO

AGAINST THE GRAIN, and WINGS OFAIN, and AGAINST THE GRAIN GS OFDDEDEFEAT.

rt film Between our documentaries, short filmntarieshere are programs, and narrative features, thf

programs - each one so many wonderful programs - eacnderfurpose and behind-the-with a special purpose and behind-l pur

scenes story to tell. Among them are MY FATHER, ry to tell. Among them are MY FAsce es story THEbased on the true story of Korean adoptee Aarone true story of ba ed on the optee AaBates; MYSTIC BALL, a 20-year history of a man’s TIC BALL, a 20-yBaBates; MYSTIC ory of a m

rney to master Myanmar’s national sport; and ster Myanjourney to mas anmar’s national sport; anKim’s DIRTY HANDS, profiling eight years of RTY HAHarry Kim’s D ANDS, profiling eight yea

the life and crimes of the borderline schizophrenic s of the bordthe life e borderline schizophreartist David Choe. arti t oe

beauty of our foundation is that we have on is that we haveThe b bThe bT at weed a place where everyone is welcome to e is welcome to created eve

d discover stories that connect us as humannnect us as humshare and nan at c ect as beings. eings.

I want to give a special shout out to my husbaband andwant to give to my hue a special sho givelove of my life, Louis Song, for sacrificing so mucuch to of my life, Louis Songof my life, Louis Songife L much to or sac so mallow me to continue growing the Foundation. A dnue growing w me to continu n. Andto our dear George Lin – this festival is dedicated ttoge Lin – this festtival isr dear George ed toyou!

— LEE ANN KIMLEE ANN— LEELEE ANSDAFF executive DirectorSDADAFF exec ctori

*photo by Robert Dahey

Catch Them All! | 5

WHAT WE DO• Annual Film Festival in San Diego & Riverside• Year-long Philippine Cinema Showcase in Chula Vista• Quarterly Film screenings• Student scholarships, high school digital storytelling internship (Reel Voices), & film review competition • Special community film screenings & programs

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING“I’ve been to a lot of film festivals all around the world and SDAFF definitely ranks among the best!” – Director, Linda Hattendorf, “Cats of Mirikitani” (Grand Jury Winner SDAFF 07)

“ The SDAFF is not just about the great films, but about the great community that embraces them .” – Jeffrey Wong, FilmThreat.com

“The San Diego Asian Film Festival is a rich and enriching contribution to the cultural landscape of San Diego” – Actor, George Takei

HOW YOU CAN HELP• Buy a ticket, support our programs!• Become a Member or make a tax-deductible donation• Sign up for our eNewsletter on our website• Volunteer• Tell your friends and family about us!

SDAFF is a 501 (c)(3) and all donations are tax-deductible.For more info: call 858-565-1264, email: [email protected] or go to our website: www.SDAFF.org

Catch Them All! | 5

The San Diego Asian Film Foundation (SDAFF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and promoting the Pan Asian experience through the media arts. We strive to present meaningful programs that culturally connect, inspire and empower the community.

About SDAFF

photos by Daniel K. Lew

Macy’s is proud to support the shining stars at the 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival

Special Events at a Glance

A Celebrity Panel: ASIAN AMERICANS IN HOLLYWOODber 11 at NOONSaturday, Octob NOober 11 at NOON

Cinemas at Hazard CenterUltraStar Mis t Hazard Centeission Valley Cinemas at HUltrrican actors talk about their breakthrough into big-time Hollywood. Scheduled to attend an Ameri heir breakthrican actors talk about theAsia gh iut th d.

n Yoo (“21,” “Disturbia”), James Kyson Lee (Heroes), Leonardo Nam (“Sisterhood of the re Aaron Y bia”), James Kyson (“21,” “Disturbia”),are e (Heroe”) Ja arding Pants 1&2”, “Fast & Furious 3”), Smith Cho (Knight Rider), Sheetal Sheth (World Unseen), Traveling & Furious 3”), Smit, “Fast &Tr (Knig ), Shee

d Jimmy Tsai (Ping Pong Pand Ji Playa)y T ya).

BLOWFISH: Unpluggeder 11, Noon – 6PMSaturday, October oon – 6PMSaturday, Octob oo

Valley Cinemas, LobbyUltraStar Mission V Cinemas,Star Missiof So-Cal’s most talented unplugged musiciansExperience some of ed unplugged musicians-Cal’s mo usic

BLOWFISH: An Intersection of Sights and SoundsFriday, October 10 at 9PM – 2AMr 10 a MCanes Bar & Grill, 3105 Ocean Front Way (Mission Beach)t Way (Mission Beach)Our popular Friday night party, featuring live musical performanmances by The Blue Scholars, Far East turing live mring live musical perf s, FaMovement, Hip-Hop violinist Paul Dateh, and Ashley Robles.es. Plus Fresh Beats and DJ ICY ICE spinning l Dateh, and AAshley ip Hopv ICY IDJ ICthe tunes. $7 w/ ticket stub/$10 at door. 21& up.0 at door. 21& the tunes. $7 w/ ticketunes

Catch Them All! | 7

VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVEOct 9-16, Hazard Center Ultrastar lobby6, Hazard Cente rastar lobbyar lobbyReel in the Vote with us during this important election year. If you care enough to watcnt election ye atch a film andyou care enougthe Vote with us ng this importan yyhis importasupport SDAFF, you should care enough to be registered to vote! enough to be registered to vot SDAFF, you shoupo are enough to to b ed to venough to

HAPPY SLIP: UNCENSOREDMonday, Oct 13 6PMMon ay, OUltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Centertar Mi VallYouTube celebrity, Christine Gambito, talks about her rise to fame through Happy Slip, based on her lFilipino American family.

FROM COMICS TO FILMSunday, October 12 2 at 2:30PMMSundUltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas at Hazard Centern Valley Cinemas atar Mis alleyPopular comic book artist Jim Lee and writer Greg Pak talk about the trend of turning comics to live c book artist Jim Lear comic ok artist actionn film.

OPENIING NIGHT PARTYOctober 9, 9PM-1A1AMThursday,

Lounge, 2400 India St (Little Italy)St (Little ItAirport L Indie cast and crew of our opening night film, PING PONG PLAYA , and celebrate the launch of opening night film, PING PONG PLAY braJoin the c nd celebp

our 9th festival. Free for members, pass holders, and anyone with a ticket stub. 21& up. Sponsored by , pass holders, and anyone with our 9 et stub. 2 & mbers. Free four 9rVerizon Wirelessss. erizon

Ticket Information


Tickets for all shows Oct 9-16 can be purchased at Hazard Center UltraStar Cinema box office. shows Oct 9-16 can be purchased at Hazard Cen ar Tickets for all shows Oct 21-23 can be purchased at Riverside University Village starting Oct 14. ows Oct 21-23 can be purchased at Riverside arting OOct 14ty Villa

To guarantee seating, patrons must show up at least 15 minutes before showtimeuarantee sea rons must show e. utes before sho

N0N-MEMBER PRICES (Oct 9-16)Opening & Closing Night FilmsOpening & Closing Nig t Film $15 (PING PONG PLAYA & ALWAYS 2) $15 (PING PONG PLAYA & ALW ) AYA &(PIGeneral Admission General Admission $9.50Blowfish Music Showcaselowfish Music Showcasee $7 with ticket stub, $10 without outtPanelsels $7Festival 4-pack (while available)ile avaie availabl $30

MEMBER PRICES (Oct 9-16)Opening & Closing Night FilmsNight ht Films NG PLAYA & ALWAYS 2) $10 (PING PONG PLAYA & ALWA 2) General Admission $6Blowfish Music Showcassewc Free Panels Free (must get ticket from box office)Free (must get tickmust geFestival 4-pack (while avak (while available)vail $222* some members receive free tickets or passes depending on their level. Membership prices are for listed member ONLY. asses depending onckets n theibers receive free Y. ** sign up for membership inside Hazard Center UltraStar lobby, and take advantage of discounts immediately.p nter UltraStar lr lobby, amembership ins nte tak

SPECIAL DISCOUNTS (Oct 9-16)s with app$2 discounts for the following groups w ppropriate ID:

• Student, Military, & Seniors (55+)itar• Harrah’s club card b carrd • Sempra Employees mploye

Riverside Prices ONLY (Oct 21-23)& all-fest passes do no4-packs & all-fest passes do not apply in Riverside

AdmissionGeneral $8.50Seniors, MilitaryStudent, $7dentsUCR StudStuden $5$5 (w/ student ID)/ stu(w/

FREE PROGRAMS: • Ni Hao, Kai-Lan – World premiere of Hallowai-Lan – World premiere of Halloween episode.oween episoLan preHao, Kai• Free Films at 4:00 (any program listed at 4PM Oct 13-16 is free to the public). 0 (any program listed at 4PM Oct 13-16 is free to blic)d at 4PM Oct 13at 4:0 16 i• Reel Voices (Oct 12, Noon). • Reel in the Vote (Oct 14, 6 pm). el • First Films at Riverside (first program each day Oct 21-23 is free to UCR Stud21-23 is free to Uday O to UCR Students).First F

REFUND POLICYNo refunds for unused tickets, 4-packs, or all-festival passes. Exchanges are only available when an a prograes. Exchanges are are only ava gram if oversold.-festival 4-pack

SOLD-OUT SCREENINGS / RUSH LINESWhen a program is sold out, there is a very good chance seats will be available through a “rush line” at the theater. Rush lines take place t the theater. Rush s will be available thble t “rusoo be availabprogra oldpro er. Ruoutside the theater 30 minutes before the show. We will offer all open seats 15 minutes before showtime on a first-come basis to those on a first-come bal open seats 15 mmats 15 mhow. ll open seatoffere 30the the st cwaiting in the “rush line.”in the

FESTIVAL VENUESOct 9-16, 2008 (San Diego)DiegoOUltraStar Mission Valley Cinemasy CiaStar7510 Hazard Center Drive0 HaSan Diego, CA 92108

Oct 21-23, 2008 (Riverside)University Village Cinemas1201 University AveRiverside, CA 92507

BLOWFISH MUSIC SHOWCASE (Oct 11)Canes Bar & Grillelle Gane3105 Ocean Front WWalkan Fro3105San Diego, CA 92109 (M(Mission Beacach)on BeacCAA 92

PHILIPPINE CINEMA SHOWCASE Filipino film, everyday, all year long! See page 54 for schedule and ticket inffo.page 54 for scheedule ayear long! See p infoF

UltraStar Chula Vista 10555 BroadwayChula Vista, CA 91910

Catch Them All! | 9

AdvocateWe believe our members deserve a trusted health care partner and advocate.

FamilyWe believe our members are important, and health care should be personal.

NeighborWe believe it’s important to live, work and play in the same community as our members.

As the only San Diego-based commercial health plan, we not only serve the people of San Diego County — we are the people of San Diego County.

Sharp Health Plan is a proud sponsor of the San Diego Asian Film Festival

(619) 228-2300 or 1-800-359-2002 | www.sharphealthplan.comSHP

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THURSDAY, OCT 995:45PM PLEASE VOTE FOR ME

eater 1 -Theate FUJUJITSU

66:10PM GONOH SAIGOTheater 2 - WELLS FARGOWEL

7:0:00PM PING PONG PLAYAG PONG PLAY(Opening Night Film)ng Nighght Film)Theater 77 -7 - RAH’S RINNCONHARRA

7:45PM7 M Scene in San DiegoSan DiSTheater 6 - ARPSHAHARP

8:00PM PUBLIC ENEMY RETURNSSEEMY RETTheater 1 -- FFUJITSU

8:15PM FOSTER CHILD (JOHN JOHN)N)OHNOSTER CHILD (JOHNTheaeater 2 - S FARGORGOWELLS

9:49:45PM ASSEMBLYTheater 7 - H’S RINCONHARRAH’S N

FRIDAY, OCT 10T 15:00PM Around the Worldroundd the

Theater 2 -Theate WELLS FARGO

5:30PM AGAINST THE GRAINTheater 7 -Theater 7 - HARHARRAH’S RINCON

5:45PMPM HALF-LIFETheater 6 - SHARP

6:00PMM HOLLYWOOD CHINESEHheater 1 -Th FUJITSU

7:20PMPM I Heart U HearHea I Theater 2 -2Theate WELLS FARGO

7:30PM CHOCOLATETheater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCONCON

8:15PM Manila and BeyondeyoTheater 1 - FUJITSU

8:30PM L: CHANGE THE WORLDORLTheater 6 -Thea SHARP

8:30PM Blowfish: Intersection of IntBloights and Sounds (Offsiteite) Sig

9:50PM DIRTY HANDSTheater 7 -- HARRAH’S RINCONHA

10:00PM0PM BIG MAN JAPANAPATheater 2 - WELLS FARGOLL

10:15PM 200 POUNDS BEAUTYTheater 1 - FUJITSU

SATURDAY, OCT 1110:30AM Ni Hao, Kai Lan (free)

Theater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCONH’S RINCOCONHA

12:00PM Celebrity Panel (paanel)Celebrity Pannel (panel)t 1Theater 1 - FUJITSSUFFUJITSU

12:15PM tesMasala BiteMasalaMTheater 2 - WELLS FARW FARGO

12:25PM APDRAWING PAPPERWINTheater 7 - RHARRRAH’S RINCON

M1:10PMM FAMILLY INC. Theatter 6 - SHARPSHAR

PM2:10P All in the FamilyAll in the e FamTheater 2 -2 WELLS FARGOS FARGO

2:20PM Animation: The Illusion of LifeThe

ater 1 -Thea 1 FUJITSU

35PM2:35PM NTA MESAANSAN A Mater 7 -Theat HARRAH’S RINCON

2 M2:50PM MERICAN IN CHINAAN AMEAN6 -Theater 6 SHARP

4:40PM4: KILLING OF A CHINESE COOKIEKILLING OF NESE COOKIEENETheaeater 1 - UJITSUFU TSU

M4:50PM:50 KISSING COUSINSNG COUSOUSINCOTheater 22 - LLS FARGGOWELL

5:05PM MY FATHEM ERTheater 7 -Th AH RINCONHARRAH’S R

0PM5:20P HITE SILK DREWHI K DW DRESSter 6 -Theate SHARPHARP

7:7:00PM TSECRET1 -Theater 1 FUJITSIFUJITSU

7:20PPM7: Love IsIs Queer QuTheater 77 -er 7 ARRAH’S RINCONNHARRAH’S RINC

7:45PM BLACK BELTK BELTTheater 2 -er 2 - LLS FARGOWELW

8:05PMM Fighght Nightght NightTh r 6 -Theater 6 - SHARP

9:30PM MAGAZINE GAP ROADZINE GAP ROADROATheater 1 - - FUJITSITSU

9:50PMM VEXILLEXILLELETheater 2 -er 2 - WELLS LS FARGORGOGO

10:00PM0:00P PUBLIC ENEMY RRETURNSTheater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCH’S RINCON

SUNDAY, OCT 1212:00PM Reel Voices Teen Video (free)

Project Showcase Theater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCONH N

12:15PM CRICKET IN COURT OF AKBARIN COUTheater 2 - WELLS FARGOWEL

112:40PM ATS HELLCAT6 - Theater 6 SHARP

1:00 PM WORLD UNSEEN THE WOeater 1 - Theat FUJITSU

M2:00PM ASSEMBLY Theater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCON

2:30PM From Comics to Film (panel)Theater 2 - WELLS FARGO

3:20PM MYSTIC BALBALLTheater 6 - SHARPSH

3:30PM YOURS TRULY, YOUMISS CHINATOWNTheater 1 - FUJITSUJ

4:4:30PM ACCURACY OF DEATHAC Y OF DEATHACCUeater 7 - TTheate HARRAH’S RINCONARRAH’S RINCON

5:00PM OCEAN OF PEAO ARLSOF PEARLSeater 2 -Thea - S FARGOWELLS FA

5:25:20PM OF SPIRITS STORY O RI1 - Theater 1 he FUJITSUFUJIT

5:30PM EN PASSIONUNSPOKETheater 6 - eater 6 SHARPP

0PM7:00 CHOCOLATEOLTheater 7 - 7er 7 - HARRAH’H’S RINCONHA

0PM7:10 Cinephile’s Journey inephile’s JoThTheater 1 - FUJITSUF

7:30PM ALWAYS 1: NSET ON THIRD STREET SUNSET ON STREET

heater 2 - hTheater 2 - WELLS FARGOGO

7:4:45PM ORO DORORDOR6 - Theater 6 - SHARP

9:25PMPM OOPEN CITYPEN CITYTheaeater 7 - 7 RRAH’S RINCONHARRRAH’S R

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE OCTOBER 9-16 & OCTOBER 21-23

Catch Them All! | 13

MONDAY, OCT 13O4:00PM:00P RED RACE (free)e)

Theater 1 - FUJITSUU

5:00PM Masala BitesTheater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCON

5:15PM PASSING POSTOONTheater 2 - WELLLS FARGO

5:30PM MEANING OF TEAEATheater 6 - SHARP

6:00PM Happy Slip: Uncensored (panel)) Theater 1 - FUJITSU

7:00PM PING PONG PLAYATheater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCON

7:15PM DANCE OF THE DRAGONOF THETheater 2 -2 - WELLS FARGOWEL

7:35PM GENGHIS KHANTheater 6 - SHARP

8:00PM0PM SHADOWS IN THE PALACELACEOWSTheatTheater 1 - FUJITSUU

TUESDAY, OCT 14SDAY, OCT 144:00PPM FOLLOW YOUR HEART ((T (free)FOLLOWLLOW YOUR

Theater 1 -ater 1 - UJITSUFUJI

5:30PM WINGS OF DEFEEATGS OTheater 6 -6 - SHARARPSH

5:40PM FISH FALL IN LLOVETheater 2 -eate WELLS FARGOELLS FARGO

M6:00PM N THE VOTE (free)VOTREEL INeater 1 -Theate FUJITSUTF

6:15PM6:15PM ALWAYS 1: ALWSUNSET ON THIRD STREETN THIRD STTheater 7 - HARRAH’S RINCONHARRAH’S RINCON

7:30PM HOUSE OF SHARINGTheater 6 -Th SSHARP

7:45PM 200 POUNDS BEAUTUTY YTheater 2 - WELLSLLS FARGOARG

8:30PM LOVERSTheater 1 - -heater FUJITSUUJIT

00PM9:00PM OPEN CCITYOTheateter 7 -T RRAH’S RINCONHARRAH’S RIN

WEDNESDAY, OCT 15OCT 15DNE Y, OCT 154:00PM4 FAMILY, INC. (free)AMILY, IAMILY, INC. (

Theater 2 -heaterheater 2 - WELLS FARGORGO

5:00PM5:00 UNDER THE SKINUNDER NTheater 1 -TheateTh FUJIFUJITSUUITSU

5:15PM5:1 EPWALKING INEESLEEPWAEETHE MEKONGHTHE METheater 6 -h SHARP

5:30PM RED RACEEeater 7 -Theat HARRAH’S RINCNCONHAR

6:15 5 PM ESHAMEr 2 -Theater WEWELLS FARLS FARGO

7:000PM7 tion: The IllIllusion of Life Animat sion oof Later 1 -Theate FUFUJITSU

7:15PM SECRET-Theater 7 HARRAH’S RINCONON

PM7:30PM THOUSAND YEARSND YEARSTHOUSOF GOOD PRAYERSPRAYERTheater 6 -er 6 SHHARP

8:35PM Around the WorldWorldAroundTheater 2 -Theate WELLS FARGO

9:20PM DIRTY HANDSTheater 6 - SHARPAR

9:30PM L: CHANGE THE WOORLDL: C HE WOTheater 1 -The FUJITSU

9:55PM SHADOWS IN THEHE PALACEPALACETheater 7 -Thea HARRAH’S RINCONRAH’S RINCONN

THURSDAY, OCT 16HURSDAY, OCTH44:00PM4 EASE VOTE FOR ME (free)TE FOR ME PLEA E VOEAS

Theater 1 -Th er 1 FUJITSU

55:15PM HELLCATH TSATheater 6Th 6 - RPSHAR

5:45PM ILDREN OF THE STACHI ARSREN OFHILterTh r 2 -heate WELLS FARGGOW

6:00PM ACK BELT BLA BELTLACK BELter T 1 -Theate FUJITSUU

7:00PM YS 22ALWAYS(CLOSING NIGHHT FILM(CLOSING NIGHT WITH POST PTIONRECEP )TheaTheater 7 - NH’S RINCONHARRAHRRAH

7:15PM7:1 MY FATHERRFATHERTheater 2 -- WELLS FARGOWELLS F

7:40PMM SLINGSHOT (TIRADOR)HOT (TIRADORGSHSHOT OT (TIRADTheater 6ter 6 er 6 - SHAHARP

8:10PM ACCURACY OF DEATHACCURACY OF DECU FTTheater 1 -eater 1 TSUFUJITS

OCTOBER 21-23, 2008(University Village Cinemas, Riverside)

*first show on each day FREE for *firrst show onrst sUCR students*UCR s

TUESDAY, OCT 21SD(RIVERSIDE)5:30PM OH SAIGON*

6:15PM HOLLYWOOD CHINESE

7:00PM PLANET BBOY

8:45PMM NEMY RETURNSPUBLIC ENE

9:15PM d Beyond Manila and B

WEDNESDAY, OCT 22 WEDNE 22WEDSIDE)(RIVERSID

4:30PM HOUSE OF SHARING (FREE)SHARING (FREE)OF OOF

77:00PM7 KISSING COUSINS K OUSINSNG COU

8:00PM WHITE SILK DRESSW K DRESILK D

9:20PM DIRTY HANDS ANDSHAN

AY, OCTHURSDA CT 23 SIDE)(RIVERSI(R

M5:00PM MYSTIC BALL (FREE)MYSTIC BALL (FREE)ALL (F

0PM6:00P ALWAYSALW S 1: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET HIRD STREET T ON THIRD

5PM7:15PM PING NG PONG PLAYA

9:20PMM9 Animation: the Illusion of Life n o

9:9:30PM MY FATHER


PRODUCERS ($1000)Katherine Bowdish and Dominic wdish and Domi

TongTong

Joon Han

Dan Hom

Ed Lee

Diana Mar Jip-Chuhp-Ch

Peter Park

eSteve Peace

ang RodriguezEddie Wan

ongRyun SoSo

ngSarah YanYang

PATRONS ($500)Sheila Abrenica Kanoyaica Kana Ka Abrenic

Michael Cheswickeswic

Johnny Chou

Mark Cumberlandark C

Ray HomH

Jaejung Kim

Dan Lawton

Chong Lee

Louis Song and Lee Ann Kimg and Ann ng an

Charles and Linda Tuand L

SUPPORTERS ($250)Miguel Avila

Stephen Chinhen

Albert Lee

Benjamin Lee

Rich Lee

Thomas Lee

Joe Mendoza

Joseph Ongsiapco

Roberto Pelia

Greg g Penetrante

Sudarmma Pokta

Miyo and MMitchell Refeffyo and M

Jim WaddeWade

Ryan WonRya ong

rly YangKimberly

DONORS ($100)Elias Almazan

Matthew Browne

Keith CalistroK

HenHenry Cheng

Sandradra ChongChongndra Ch

Kathl eroen Clavethleen

Thomas s Dring

James FaupelJames Faupel

iramatsusuErika Hiramat

Shan Huangan Huang

Tramy Huynh

Sang Kangng

Jinah KimJ

Julie Kim

Mija Kim

Eric LallanalanaEr

Karen LimK

Lani Lutar

Kyong Macekong M

Tracy Mitsunagaacy M

Laurel Nishidaaurel N

Shirley Omori

Jeremy Pizzola

Trent Reid

Art Rivera

Wendy Urushima Simmons

Mark Stabb

William Saung

Susanna Thompson

Yen Tu

Kenneth WadeWade

Rainer Wagester

Michael Wong

FRIENDS ($55)Absolute DA Definitionolu e D

ike AltshulerMi lerMike AltM

ve BarlowwStevteve

ey BrossbeJeffrey

a ChahangJessica

elle heungMiche e Ch

Jd Lynn Chhiongd Lyn Lynn Chio

Randall C ngRand Chongll

Shirleyirl y Chow

Nick Cc Cichon

DJohn Dacapias

ophia DehofSophia Dehof

Michael DodgeMichael D

race DuVallGra

FranciscoB FrranFrRB

y FuJerry Fuuerry Fu

iebJim Gottlie

cePunvipa Gricea Gr

Mye Hoange Hoang

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John HuHunternter

Kenji IIma

Leslie Imama

Matthew Ima

Dale Inaharahara

Rebecca Johnson

Hajime and Clare Kanoya

Sam Kim

Megan Lamm

Donna Leee

Yam Lee

Gerardo LeonGerar

Matthew Long

Pat PepperPat

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Chris RuleCC

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nabeKaren WatanKare

Niki WNiki Wells

Kurtis WongWong

Join a community of supporters of Asian American cinema and culture. As a MEMBER, you receive discounts on film festival tickets and merchandise, nity of supporters of Asian American cinema and c a Minvitations to member-only events, and access to sneak preview screenings of films prior to their theatrical release.mber-only events, and access to sneak preview prior toto thengs of hea

Memberships are year-long, starting from the date of sign-up. Start today by joining online at HYPERLINK www.sdaff.org or send your check made berships a ng, starting from ning online at Htoday b r seng o YP RLINKpayable to SDAFF to:ayable to SDAFF t

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Film & Program Guide


THU Oct 9, 7PM (OPENING NIGHT)MON Oct 13, 7PMTHU Oct 23, 7:15PM (Riverside)

USA | 96 min. | Video | English & Chinese w/ English subtitles | 2007

DIRECTOR: Jessica YuPRODUCERS: Anne Clements, Joan HuangWRITERS: Jessica Yu, Jimmy TsaiCAST: Jimmy Tsai, Smith Cho, Roger Fan, Andrew Vo

*Director & cast scheduled to attend Oct 9 screening

Christopher “C-Dub” Wang (Jimmy Tsai) dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. Unfortunately, he also constantly blames his inability to make the NBA on his genetics, struggles to hold down a low-paying job at the mall and spends most of his free time playing video games and daydreaming of easy money. In short, C-Dub is every Asian American parent’s worst nightmare. Thankfully for the Wang family, C-Dub’s older brother Michael (Roger Fan) is a doctor and national ping pong champion, who generates business for his family’s ping pong school and store.

When Michael and Mrs. Wang are both hurt in a car accident,C-Dub is forced to step up and take over teaching duties at the ping pong school. The stakes are taken even higher when C-Dub must shake off his reputation as a chronic underachiever and defend his family’s honor by replacing his brother in the national ping pong tournament.

Sharply directed by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Jessica Yu (“In the Realms of the Unreal”), making her narrative feature directing debut, PING PONG PLAYA is the rare sports comedy that will have you rolling with laughter, while effectively tackling important Asian American identity issues.

Ping Pong Playa


opening night film

Opening Night PartyJoin the cast and crew of PING PONG PLAYAat AIRPORT LOUNGE (2400 India St.) 9PM - 1AM

Sponsored by Verizon Wireless

JESSICA YU’S PING PONG PLAYA: TORRID TABLE TENNIS HILARITYBy Dr. Craig D. Reid

PING PONG PLAYA combines romance, comedy and sports as director Jessica Yu tackles a rare Hollywood genre, an all Asian American comedy that is not in your face but is in your brain. It’s the kind of film that makes you think without thinking, where you laugh because it is subversively funny and the repartee spicily squawks like the progeny of a parrot and a phoenix on meth.

“The film isn’t about making any points,” Yu contends. “We were going for humor and characters first and didn’t worry about how it would be perceived later on. We weren’t purposely trying to be politically correct, we did what made sense for the characters in this world. Many great films over the years tend to be heavy yet we wanted to dish up some superficial comedy to balance things out. If we had one goal, it was that we could see without feeling like we were being hit over the head with anything…except for some fairly juvenile humor bits. We wanted to make a fun Asian American movie.”

The film centers on Christopher Wang (Jimmy Tsai) whose street moniker “C-Dub” elevates his stature from the reality of his Chinese American façade to cling to the pipe dream of one day becoming the first Chinese-American NBA pro basketball player. Yet when his mom and “perfect” brother Michael (Roger Fan) get into a car accident, then C-Dub must step up to the wacky paddle and fight for his family’s ping-pong dynasty.

Yu enthusiastically shares, “I remember seeing Jimmy doing his C-Dub character in a series of mock commercials for an online clothing company and he bowled me over. He was so funny. There was something satiric and subversive about the humor…he was making fun of stereotyping and the way people take themselves too seriously when it comes to their own identity. I thought this would be a great character to put in a film.”

When asked if Yu is obligated to make Asian American themed films, she assuredly comments, “I don’t feel pressured to tackle Asian American themes. Certainly PING PONG PLAYA came naturally and it was a pleasure to mind one’s own history for the little details and experiences that makes the characters more authentic. But certainly a big part of the humor was in poking fun at ourselves through C-Dub who sometimes took himself too seriously and when you do that, you then have license to poke fun at other things too.”


THU Oct 16, 7PM

Japan | Japanese w/ English subtitles | 147 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Takashi YamazakiPRODUCERS: Shuji Abe and Seiji Okuda

WRITERS: Takashi Yamazaki and Ryota FurusawaCAST: Maki Horikita, Hedetaka Yoshioka,

Shinichi Tsutsumi, Kazuki Koshimizu, Tomokazu Miura

Closing Night Reception immediately following screening sponsored by Goldilocks, L&L Hawaiian BBQ, Jasmine Seafood & Sushi on a Roll

Fans who watched the first ALWAYSon closing night of SDAFF ’06 are stilltalking about how they walked out of the theater blubbering over the magicalfilm that swept Japan’s version of theAcademy Awards. This year, SDAFF isbringing back the endearing cast of characters in ALWAYS 2: SUNSET ONTHIRD STREET, which takes place four months after the original ended.

Tokyo Tower is now complete, thoughfamily patriarch Norifumi Suzuki (ShinichiTsutsumi) is too scared to actually go up in it – and re-introduces audiences to all the major characters. There’s the car

repair shop-owning Suzuki and his wife (Hiroko Yakushimaru); their lovelorn mechanic and de facto daughter Mutsuko (Maki Horikita); frustrated novelist neighbor Chagawa (Hidetaka Yoshioka) and his adopted son Junnosuke (Kenta Suga); and sad, kept woman Hiromi (Koyuki). The 1964 Tokyo Olympics have been announced, and the entire countryhas begun an enthusiastic rush towards affluence and modernity.

Will the Suzukis and their hardscrabble neighbors be left behind in Tokyo’s great rush forward into the second half of the 20th century? Will their traditional

values of friendship, hard work, sacrificeand family commitment be lost when theJapanese economy goes “boom?” Andjust how does Godzilla figure into all of this? You must watch to see.

Programmer’s note: You don’t need to havewatched the original ALWAYS: SUNSET ONTHIRD STREET to follow this film. But just incase you want the full experience, we brought it back for a few screenings. Be sure to bring sometissue! Oct 12, 7:30pm; Oct 14, 6:30pm, Oct 23, 6PM (Riverside)

West Coast Premiere


Always 2:Sunset On Third Street

closing night film


FLY COAST-TO-COAST, STATE-TO-STATE, OR CITY-TO-CITY.

With over 60 destinations around the country,no matter where you’re headed,

Southwest Airlines will take you there.

©2007, 2008 Southwest Airlines Co.

Offical Airline of the 2008 San Diego Asian Film Festival


One of the top-grossing romantic comedies in South Korean history, 200 POUNDS BEAUTY is based ona best-selling Japanese comic book series that centers on the life of Hanna, an extremely overweight singer with an unbelievable voice. Although she had dreamed of becoming a pop singer, her appearance alwaysstood in the way. Instead, she is hired as a faceless singer, providing vocals for pop star Ami, who lip-syncsbecause she can’t carry a note to save her life.

As Hanna is targeted with countless jokes about her full figure, she remains lighthearted and works hard toplease Ami’s music producer, Sang-jun, with whom she has developed a secret crush. Ami sees that Sang-junis being kind to Hanna, and in a fit of jealousy, humiliates Hanna in front of him, causing her to run away. Fedup of being ill-treated due to her weight, Hanna undergoes an extreme makeover which changes her life andher identity.

While 200 POUNDS BEAUTY will make you laugh, it ultimately pokes fun at society’s obsession with plasticsurgery, while challenging viewers to seek the meaning of one’s true beauty.

S. Korea | Korean w/ English subtitles |

116 min. | 35mm | 2006

DIRECTOR: Yong-hwa Kim

CAST: Ah-Joong Kim, Jin-Mo Joo, Dong-il

Seong, Hyeon-Sook Kim

FEATURES

ACCURACY OF DEATH is a charming tale about the Grim Reaper and his talking dog that celebrates theidea that life is worth living. Taiwanese/Japanese heartthrob Takeshi Kaneshiro (“The Returner,” SDAFF ‘03)plays an angel of God who is assigned to spend a week with the unfortunate humans chosen for a suddendemise. His task is to decide whether the person deserves a second chance, or if he is to “proceed.”

Stretched across 30 years, the charismatic but lonely Grim Reaper encounters three lost souls. In 1988, heconsiders the case of a young office lady who lives an unlucky life she hardly considers worth living. In 2008, he has to judge the worthiness of a yakuza trapped in the middle of a gang war. And in the future, he meets afeisty hair stylist who has managed to alienate her entire family.

Kaneshiro, who has appeared in films by Wong Kar-Wai, Zhang Yimou, and John Woo, takes an unpromisingpart and turns in an amazing performance. By the time the movie ends, he has single-handedly sold theaudience on the idea that death is an inevitable part of being alive and there’s never a need to fear the reaper.

Japan | Japanese w/ English subtitles |

113 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Masaya Kakei

CAST: Takeshi Kaneshiro, Manami

Konishi, Sumiko Fuji, Ken Mitsuishi

FRI Oct 10, 10:15PMTUE Oct 14, 7:45PM

*Mature content

SUN Oct 12, 4:30PMTHU Oct 16, 8:10PM

200 Pounds Beauty

Accuracy of Death

Screening Sponsored by

Co-presented by: Japan Society of San

Diego and Tijuana,

San Diego Japanese Language & Culture

Meet-up Group

Co-presented by: Korean American

Coalition of San Diego


In 1989, Peruvian artist Alfredo Marquez was sentenced to 20 years in prison for depicting a lipstick-wearingChairman Mao in his artwork. The reason was that Mao has been the symbol for the guerilla organization theShining Path, which has battled against the Peruvian government for decades. However, this specific instanceof artistic repression soon became a symbol for the important role that artists have had as a leading forcefor political activism in Peru.

For six years, filmmaker Ann Kaneko traveled throughout Peru during the aftermath of the regime of AlbertoFujimori, the Japanese Peruvian former President of Peru, whose brutal authoritarian rule did much to inspirebrave acts of protest from Peruvian artists. AGAINST THE GRAIN highlights several of these Peruvian artistswho have helped shape social consciousness in Peru, including Marquez and Japanese Peruvian artist EduardoTokeshi, who had suffered from the anti-Japanese backlash of the post-Fujimori era. Through the telling of their stories, AGAINST THE GRAIN helps us gain a greater appreciation for the freedom of expression andits role in facilitating change.

Peru & USA | English, Japanese & Spanish

w/ English subtitles| 64 min. | Video |

2008

Director/Writer/Producer: Ann Kaneko

FRI Oct 10, 5:30PM

*Director Ann Kaneko scheduled to attend

Co-presented by: The House of Peru

Japan Society of San Diego and

Tijuana, Media Arts Center San

Diego, San Diego Latino Film Festival

Against the Grain: An Artist’s Guide to Surviving Peru

FEATURES


SAT Oct 11, 2:10PM

Director: Akira Boch | 18 min. | Akiraa BoVideo | 200007A strange weed infestation and ge weea series of mysterious phone

ad an elderly Japcalls lead an elderly Japanese rican gardener back toAmerican gardener back to the

chstones of his past.touchtouc

TRT: 104 min.nTogether under one roof, a collection of short films about family quirks, dysfunctions, and the tiesroof, a collection of short films a , dysfunctionmily q tions, and tthe tiethat bind us.hat bind us

MAMO’S WEEDS

SHORTS

or: Chil Kong |Director: g | 9 min. |il Kong008Video | 2008V

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a head over arivalry comes to a r anew Mercedes.s.

THE OH MALLEY’S IN DADDY’S MY MERCEDES

Director: Wendy Cheng | 15min. | Video | 2007A little boy forced to takeA little d to tcare of his mother uses hisare of r useimagination to find a way to healealmaginaher.

es Kim | 4 min. |Director: Wes m | 4 r: W35mm | 2007mm | 2007A little girl selling cookiesA little girl sellingg cookiestle girengages in a battle of wills withgages in a battlle of wills witbatta very gry grumpy neigpy neighbor.py neig

COOKIES FOR SALEMOON LADY

Director: Joyce Wong | 11 min. |Video | 2007007A rebellious Korean adopteeus Korean adopteedoptestirs up comedic hell for herst omedic hell for her r heodoptive mother and younado other and younger ngtive moter.sister.s

SOUVENIRS FROM ASIA

Director: David Kim | 8 min. |tVideo | 2008Building the family of Jesus, oneof Jepreacher at a time.preac

THE AGENT

*Mature content t & crew scheduled to attend*Cast & crew schedule to ato atto

Co-presented by: Asian Accountants of

San Diego, UCSD Asian Pacific Islander

Student Alliance

All In The Family

Directors: Daniel Jai Lee, ArvinDirect ai Lee,& Mitchel Dumlao | 21Chen & umlao | 2Mitcideo | 2008min. | Vi| Video |directors, three sThree e storiesdirect

ut food. uabout

EAT

Director: Julia Kwan | 18 min. |tor: Julia Kwan | 8 min.Di J a Kw35mm | 2002007A Chinese immigrant family mmigrant famse imuses its Sears coupon for a free coupon for a eits Searsfamily portrait.por ait.

SMILE


Back by popular demand is one of the most charming and heartwarming films you will see. ALWAYS: SUNSET ON THIRD STREET played to sold-out audiences at SDAFF ‘06, and we brought it back as acompanion to our closing night film, ALWAYS 2.

Based on a popular manga and set in post-war Japan in the late 1950’s, rebuilding began in Tokyo whereconstruction of the magnificent Tokyo Tower was underway and houses across the city were acquiring their first washing machines, refrigerators and the most holy of holies—televisions. The story centers on Mr. Chagawa, who dreams of writing the Great Japanese Novel. His dreams are no more deluded than thoseof Mutsuko, a countryside schoolgirl who thinks she’s taken a job with a thriving car manufacturer only todiscover that she’s working in a one-garage mechanic’s shop. Then there’s Hiromi who opens a bar down thestreet and is saddled with the abandoned child of the nightspot’s previous owner.

Winner of 13 of Japan’s 14 Academy Awards, ALWAYS – SUNSET ON THIRD STREET is a movie thatguarantees you’ll cry at the end, so be prepared for this emotional and visually lavish journey.

Japan | Japanese w/ English subtitles | 132

min. | 35mm | 2005

DIRECTOR: Takashi Yamazaki

WRITER: Ryouhei Saigan

CAST: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shin’ichi

Tsutsumi, Maki Horiki

SUN Oct 12, 7:30PMTUE Oct 14, 6:15PMTHU Oct 23, 6:00PM (RIVERSIDE)

Oct 14th screening co-presented by:

Charles Schwab


Diego and Tijuana

Always: Sunset on Third Street

Twenty-two year old David Braddock is floundering - stuck in that lazy period between college and “whatam I going to do with the rest of my life?” Even David’s best friend, Sha, is concerned with David’s aimlessattitude. When David’s parents pressure him to either choose a career path or join the family business, hedecides to follow his father’s urging to “Go East young man.”

Once in China, he finds that it is much different from what he imagined: full of bustling modern cities as wellas charming little villages. He travels to a town that the modern world hasn’t yet altered and meets Mei, abeautiful, ambitious young girl who works two jobs in order to save enough money to follow her dreamof going to the prestigious Beijing University. Despite their differences, a romance blossoms during the fewshort weeks that David is with Mei.

This coming of age, fish out of water story takes us on a fascinating journey to a world full of strangecustoms and people. But cultural differences, politics or distance cannot change the fact that we all share thesame basic desire: to love and be loved.

USA & China | English & Mandarin w/

English subtitles | 90 min. | Video | 2008

DIRECTOR: Ron Berrett

PRODUCERS: Steve Geiger,Maggie Yuan

WRITER: Ron Berrett and Wenxin Yuan

CAST: James Snyder, Sun Fei Fei, Anthony

Montgomery, Michael Gross

SAT Oct 11, 2:50PM

*Director scheduled to attend

Co-presented by: San Diego Chinese

Women’s Association, The House of

China

An American in China

is proud to be a partner of the SDAFF's expansion to Riverside

October 21-23, 2008

MA TIOT


SAT Oct 11, 2:20PMWED Oct 15, 7PMTHU Oct 23, 9:20PM (RIVERSIDE)

Director: Kevin Kolodinsky IUSA I 2 min. I Video I 2008I VA hapless karate fighter rate fifightemeets his biggest and baddestiggestopponent.

3 ; somedium: CGI 3D; software: Maya.

TRT: 86 min. How do you coax life out of thin air? Find out in this program dedicated entirely to thex life out of thin air? Find out in this pro tirely to tho theicatMagical Art of Animatioal Art o on.

AGAINST THE GRAIN

SHORTS

Director: Tak Hoon Kim I KoreaDir Tak Hoon Kim I Koreamin. I Video I 2I 3 min. deo I 2008

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NADAL VS. ALIENDirector: David Han I USA I 2 min. I Video I 2008What happens when a hungry Wpace alien attempts to cow-tip a sp ttempts to cow-tip a ow-tipree-eyed mutant bovine?thre mutant bovine??dium: CGI 3D; software: Mamediu 3D; software: Maya.MaGI 3

ALIEN ABDUCTIONDirector: Benett Kim I USA I 3Bmin. I Video I 2007VA magical cicada attempts to winA magical mpts to

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: traditional 2D.medium: t al 2

MAGICICADA

Director: Kim Hazel I USA I 2l I Ur: Kimmin. I Video I 2008ideo ICan a helpless T-rex dinosaur helplessave himself from theimpending doom of the Ice Agehe Iciwith only one sock?h onlmedium: CGI 3D; software: adiumMaya.

SNOW DAYDirector: Cesar Kuriyama I USUSA: Ces SA yamaDirI 3 min. I Video I 2004d 43 mThree friends enjoy a night iThrof debauchery over somebeverages until their humiliating rag mdiscovery.overy.medium: CGI 3D; software: Maya, yaium: CAfterEffects.erEffec

AWKWARD Arjun Rihan I USA I 4 rector: ArArctor: ArDirect

2007n. I Video I 2Vidmin.medy set on the A romantic comecoA r

Golden Gate Bridge.Golden Gate Bridg .Gate Bmedium: CGI; software: Mayaedium: CGI; softwaare: Mayam: CGI; s

ABRIDGED

Director: Dennis Liu I USA I 3ctor: Dennis Liu I min. I Videdeo I 2008n. I V o I 2 08Tons of cool ways to use a Mac, ol ways to use a Mac, set to the song of ‘Again & Again’g of ‘Again & Aong by the Bird & the Be Bee.Bird & thmedium: CGI 2D; software: OSX.oftware: OS: CGI 2D

APPLE/BIRD & THE BEE “AGAIN & AGAIN”

*Mature content*Mature content / tt and crew scheduuled to attend*Cast and cand cred c

Co-presented by Platt CollegeAnimation: The Illusion of Life


Director: Rohitash Rao & Abraham Spear I USA I 3 min. I I Video I 2006Famous animated album covers fight to the death!medium: CGI 2D; software: I 2DAfterEffectsects

BATTLE OF THE ALBUM COVERS Goo-Shun Wang I I USA Director: Goo-Shun Wan

Video I 2006I 4 min. I Ven man is trapped and dA drunke ped

pts to escape out of an attemptsEscher-esque world of endless E h sworld of escher-hstairs.tairs.medium: CGI 3D; software: Maya.

HALLUCIIDirector: ChDirector: Chris Choy I USA I 5Chris Cmin. I Video I min. I Video I 2005

story aboutA story about an apple farmer a clepto pand a clepto possum.

medium: tradmedium: traditional 2D.na

THE POSSUMDirector: Woon Han I Korea I 6: Woonor:Wo oremin. I Video I 2007deo I 2A butterfly sets off a chain fly setutterfly reaction of chaos in a subway chaction of ctrain full of mice & men.in full of micmedium: traditional 2D.medium: traraditio

THE MOUSE TRAP

Director: Nahomi Maki I USA I I USA I tor: N4 min. I Video I 20084 min. I Vide 08A being is driven to madness A being is d to madne

full moon, but theen by the fu but thediscovers a sensitive, beaututiutiful discovercovers a sensand surreal world withithin.d surreal womedium: CGI 3D; sosoftwaree: um: CGI 3Maya, AfterEffectcts.AfterEf

SWIMMING MOON

Director: Bum Lee I USA I 4 min. I Video I 2006I Video I 2006deo I A series of short experimental A series of short experies

mation that reinterprets theheanimation that reintemat terie’s piano themes of Erik Satiem pian’

s “SPORTS ET s compositions “SPO TS ET ENTES (1914DIVERTISSEMEN 4).”DIVERTISSEME 914).””

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SPORTS AND DIVERSION

Director: Wenchung Lu I UI USA IDirector: Wrector: Wenchudeo I 20087 min. I Videeo I 20

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medium: tradaditional stopmotion.ona

KETCHUP

Director: Leonardo Matsudo Mao Mcto atsuda I USA I 5 min. I Video I 2008Video I 20A lovable caveman finally meetshis dream cavewoman, only to find a more evolved and greedyedyadversary standing in his way. ry medium: traditional 2D.: tr

PREKISSTORIC TIMES

Director: Ryan Chen I USA I 3I USA I 3 UUSA I 33min. I Video I 2008min.A frustrated boy mmakes a big akemistake and seararches for a way ke and se hes for a to ret me.turn hommedium: CGI 3D; software: Maya, 3D; software: Medium: CGI 3D , Blender, AfterEffects, Vicon.rEffects, Vicon.Blender, AfterrEffect

SHOOTING STARector: Joe Hsieh I Taiwan I 12Direc TaiwDirec : Joe 2

Video I 2006min. I V eo I 2In a chaotic time of men eatingInmen, Ah Orr is a prostitute whoexchanges meat everyday toe tos mbring food for her child and abrin and ad forsick husband.sicksmedium: CGI 2D; software: Flash. Flas

MEAT DAYSDirector: Jeff CChiba Stearns ISUSA I 6 min. I Video I 2007n. I Video I 200722,300 drawings, 4x6 inch yellowawings, 4x6 inch y2,300 d lowincgs, 4sticky notes and a black ink pennotes and a blacsticky n– an internal reflection on one’snternal reflect– ctiorole as an artist manifests intoas an artist manifests a discussion about political andiscussion ab politicdisenvironmental crises.onmenenvironmenta crismedium: traditional 2D. mediummedium: tradi

YELLOW STICKY NOTESDirector: Yibi Hu I UK I 4 min. Ibi H K I 4 mVideo I 2007An abstract piece depicting aA icting adying little girl’s last words basedon a true account.e accmedium: CGI 3D; software: : CG e: AfterEffects.

JOSIE’S LALALAND


FRI Oct 10 5PMWED Oct 15 8:35PM

6Director: Shalini Kantayya, 16Direectormin., Video, 2007min.,VideThe story of two women - aThe omen -villager in rural India and anand aAmerican eAmerican executive -whoselives intersect wht when they areconfronted with thehe inhumanenhlack of clean drinking wawater. ng wat

TRT: 105 minnWhether rockin’ in a freer world or entering a woman’s domain, a revealing collection of storiesa freer world or entering a wom aling collectmain, a ection of sstorietraversing across timeraversing ac me and place.

A DROP OF LIFE

SHORTS

Director: Nathaniel Nuon, 15 Nathaniel NDirector: Nathaniemin, Video, o, 2008n, VideoSix years after a risky mission Six ter a risky misonducted by a secret group of cond a secret gro

-trained Cambodian soldiers, CIA-t mbodian sol ers,ntry is left to deal with tha countr o deal with h the th

aftermath. chilling aftllin

RESIDUE

Director: Xiaoli Zhou,u, 22 min., Video, 2006Keepers of one of the laststhe s of omatriarchal societies in the ies in chalworld, Mosuo women in a en in remote area China enjoy great ote joy gfreedoms and carry heavydomresponsibilities.pons

rector: Lee Jong -pil, 29 min., Dire r: LeD 9 mo, 2Video, 2007Vi

an boy in love A Norrth Koreaic and Jim with roock music anh r

o South Morrisoorrison escapes toorrisonrguitar.Korea with a guitar.i

LIGHT MY FIRETHE WOMEN’S KINGDOM

Director: Z. Eric Yang, 23 min., 3 min., Video, 2007Video, 20

g immigraTwo young immigrant siblings, mmigworking as prostitworking as prostitutes to pay ostioff the enormous debt owed to toff the enormous debt owed tousofsmuggleers, are torn by a glimpse mugglers, are torn by a glimpof hopope that suddenpe that suddenly enters theieir lilives.

THE STATE OF SUNSHINE

ure cont*Mature contentectors scheduled to attend*Directors scheduled to atten

Co-presented by: City College World

Cultures Program, UCSD Cross-Cultural

Center

Around The World


Based on a true story, ASSEMBLY follows one man’s journey in search of truth and honor in the aftermath of one of the bloodiest battles in the Chinese Civil War.

It is the winter of 1948 and Captain Guzidi is leading an infantry unit consisting of just 46 men on a snipingmission. Their orders are to fight until the retreat assembly call is sounded. But that call never comes. After many hours of defense and with ammunition running out, men are falling hard and fast. Guzidi realizes thatthe call might have been missed during the heat of battle, contributing to the deaths of his men. The first half of the film is mesmerizing and brutal, containing some of the most realistic warfare scenes many critics havecompared to “Saving Private Ryan.”

The second half of the film finds Guzidi as the only survivor on a mission to prove the heroism of his menand to honor their glorious deaths. Overall, ASSEMBLY’s unflinching look at war can be too much for viewersto digest, but that is also what makes it so rewarding.

China | Mandarin w/ English subtitles |

124 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Xiaogang Feng

CAST: Wang Baoqiang, Liao Fan

THU Oct 9, 9:45PM SUN Oct 12, 2PM

*Mature content

Co-presented by: Chinese Consolidated

Benevolent Association, The House of

China

Assembly

A television camera crew follows around middle-aged loser Dai Sato (Hitoshi Matsumoto) as he goesthrough his daily routine. Details of his life appear far too mundane until he receives a call from the“Department of Baddie Prevention.” It is then that Dai Sato springs into action by heading over to a power station to receive the electrocution treatments that transform him into Dainipponjin (Big Man Japan), a 500-foot tall superhero. As Dainipponjin, Dai Sato protects the people of Japan by battling against a vast array of bizarre giant monsters.

However, life as a crime-fighting celebrity is not exactly glamorous. As a sixth-generation superhero, Dainipponjin is faced with modern day problems that none of his predecessors could have ever dreamt of. And things get even worse for him when a demonic beast from North Korea shows up to terrorize Japan.

Featuring a brilliantly deadpan comedic performance by Matsumoto, Japan’s most popular comedian, BIGMAN JAPAN delivers big-time laughs mixed with sharp satire.

Japan | Japanese w/ English subtitles |103

min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Hitoshi Matsumoto

CAST: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi,

Ua, Ryunosuke Kamiki

FRI Oct 10, 10PM

*Mature content


Diego and TijuanaSan Diego Japanese

Language & Culture Meetup Group

Big Man Japan


BLACK BELT is a well acted, deliberately nuanced drama about the moral dilemma of a young man forcedto choose between his principles and his obligation to defend the helpless. Trouble develops in Japan’s lateShowa dynasty (1932), in the wake of that country’s invasion of Manchuria, when a company of militarypolice arrogantly disrupts the karate studies of three young men at the rural dojo of their old wise master. Convinced that their skills can help in battle, the army wants to acquire their services as fight instructors.

The fact that actual karate masters portray the main characters guarantees a great martial arts flick—nowires, no stunts, and no elaborate special effects. It’s a no-frills fistacuffs that is all simply quick and brutal.


min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Shunichi Nagasaki

PRODUCERS: Kanjiro Sakura, Nobuniko

Sakho

WRITER: George Iida

CAST: Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka, Yuji

Suzuki, Shinya Ohwada

FEATURES

SAT Oct 11 7:45PMTHU Oct 16 6PM

*Mature content

Black Belt


Diego and Tijuana

Come kick off SDAFF 2008 with our third annual music and video showcase. A dynamic convergence of Asian American talent, Blowfish is an exploration of the intersection of beats, rhymes and film, through live performance and projected videos. Don’t miss this party, a deadly but delicious mix of West Coast party-rocking with San Diego flavor.

Friday October 10, 20089pm-2amCanes Bar & Grill3105 Ocean Front WaySan Diego, CA 92109(858)488-1780

Tickets:$10 at the door$7 w/ festival ticket stub21+ only

SPECIAL!$7 Discounted Guest List: please RSVP to [email protected] by noon, 10/09.

Experience the Local-Motion of some of SoCal’s most talented unplugged musicians.

Saturday, October 11, 200912pm-6pmFREE

Where:Hazard Center UltraStar Cinemas Lobby

ACTS TBA

Blowfish is proudly presented by:RaytheonYellowspider MarketingCrunchy Sandwich

Blue ScholarsLoyalty Dir: Zia Mohajerjasbi

Featured Performers:

THE BLUE SCHOLARSA Seattle hip-hop duo with a progressive underground style all their own.

FAR*EAST MOVEMENTRepresenting the Fresh Coast with their party rocking new school sound.

PAUL DATEHPaul Dateh and Inka One bring a whole new meaning to classical music.

ASHLEY ROBLES Local singing sensation!

Spinning Fresh Beats Dj Icy Ice of the World Famous Beat JunkiesFar East Movement

Dance Like Michael Jackson Dir: Wong Fu Productions

DaedelusFair Weather FriendDir: Jordan Kim

Lyrics Born I like it, I love itDir: Neon

Hosts for the evening:Dan aka Dan of afterschoolspecial and Hula from A.J.’s Playhouse 93.3

BLOWFISH UNPLUGGED

Featuring Music Video Premieres By:

Blowfish: An Intersection of Sights and Sounds


Snacks sponsored by Southwest Airlines


Celebrity Panel: Asian Americans in Hollywood

onSAT Oct 11, Nooan annual tradition at SDAFF – we sit down the stars of our fest and ask them candid questions about how they got their F – we sit down the stars of our fIt’s an annual tradit and ask them candid questions about hcandion tion aont in the door, their best and worst gigs, plus try to squeeze out a d worst gigs, plus try to squeeze outfoot in the door, th a little insider Hollywood gossip. oeir be ezeig

Jimmy Tsai

Aaron Yoo Smith Cho Sheetal Sheth

Leonardo Nam

(21, Disturbia) (Knight Rider, PING PONG PLAYA) (The World Unseen, Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World)

(PING PONG PLAYA)(The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Fast and the Furious 3)


Hundreds of thousands of families in China are affected by autism. These families often face a desperatesituation. With little to no knowledge of the developmental disorder, they do not know how to teach or copewith their children. They are also largely excluded by a society that does not understand or accept them.

CHILDREN OF THE STARS is a very personal documentary on a group of families seeking help for their severely autistic children. Among them is the Wei family. Their five-year-old boy is violent, cannot speak, anddoes not seem to even recognize his parents. No schools would accept him, causing his family so muchshame and despair, they even considered family suicide.

But they regained hope, when accepted into a program at a little charity school in Beijing called “Stars andRain.” Here, they would join other families to learn behavioral techniques that will enable them to teach andmanage their son.

A deeply moving journey, CHILDREN OF THE STARS follows the progress of the Wei family over threemonths, resulting in an extraordinary story of parental love.

China | Mandarin w/ English subtitles |

50 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR, WRITER,

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Rob Aspey

PRODUCER: Alex Haase

FEATURES

When Zin, a collector/moll for a Thai kingpin, falls for a Japanese Yakuza, an illegitimate child named Zen isproduced. Raised alone by her mother, Zen turns out to be an autistic girl with amazing acrobatic skills, quick reflexes – and a sweet tooth for chocolate candies. Watching old Tony Jaa and Bruce Lee movies nonstop, Zen is a martial arts master in training. Then when her mother becomes ill with cancer, it is up to her and her older cousin to use her skills to collect old debts in order to pay her mother’s medical bills.

CHOCOLATE is a no-frills story about revenge brought to you by the makers of “Ong Bak” (SDAFF ’04). Insimilar vein to the Tony Jaa films, there are no tricks or special effects here. It’s a spectacular and jaw-droppingdisplay of many years of Muay Thai training. Stay through the credits and see proof of the danger and theinjuries the actors had to overcome. The fight scenes in CHOCOLATE will not disappoint and when you seenewcomer Yanin “Jeeja” Vismitananda (only 14 years old), you’ll want to see it twice to believe it.

Thailand | Thai w/ English subtitles | 110

min. | 35mm | 2008

DIRECTOR: Prachya Pinkaew

WRITER: Chukiat Sakveerakul, Nepalee

Sakweerakul

CAST: Yanin Vismitananda, Ammara

Siripong, Hiroshi Abe

THU Oct 16, 5:45PM

*Founder of Stars and Rain school, Tian Huiping, scheduled to attend

*Proceeds from this screening will benefit co-presenter, SD Autism Society

FRI Oct 10 7:30PMSUN Oct 12 7PM

*U.S. Premiere*Mature content

Children of the Stars

Chocolate

Co-presented by: SD Autism Society

Co-presented by: San Diego Thai

Language and Culture Exchange Meetup

Group


SUN Oct 12, 7:10PM

5Director: Richard Martin | 15Direectormin. | 35mm | 2008min. | 35Four relationships spanning theFou panningfour corners of the globe areglobe aput to the uput to the ultimate test whenthey learn the woe world may endin eight minutes.

TRT: 106 minT: 106 minA collection of award-winning and challenging short films for the more-than-average movie lover.n of award-winning and challengin he more-thafilms -than-averaage m

LIGHT YEARS

SHORTS

r: Angela How | 21 min. | Director: Angela How | 21 m |t A2007Video | 2

ce encounter betweenA chance encounter betwangers pushes both two strangers pushes bobothe to terms with past to come hto co

made.decisions decis

PASSAGE

Director: Minhyun Park | 16 min. irector: Minhyun Pa miDir r: MVidedeo | 2007| V

After witnessing the death of r witnessing the deaAfthe man who saves his life, a boyan who saves hhis life, a boy withdrawws to a life oof isolation with soand sadneess.and s

irector: John Ferrie | 24 min. Dire or: JohD 24 meo | 2008 Videoo | 2008| V

re A young, World Premiererney is suddenly ambitio y ous attorney biti

nd finds fired frored from his job anred fromhis life ining his himself examining h e

s to his n he turns tochoices whenex-girlfriend ffor comfort. ex-girlfriend f

DEAR HEIDI

KNEES

Director: Alexander Ku | 30 min. | 30 min| Video | 2007| Video | 2 07

Chinese girA young Chinese girl in NYC nese owes a staggering owes a staggering smuggling ringdebt to the Snakebt to the Snakeheads and kedefaces working in a sweatshop or working in a sweatshop or ces working in a sweatshop prostitstititution.

TRIPLE 8 PALACE

content*Mature c ten

Cinephile’s Journey


North Indian classical music, a centuries-old musical tradition of great depth and richness, has influencedgenerations of composers around the world. Although many of these musicians consider it the highest formof musical expression, North Indian classical music remains unfamiliar to most Western ears. Furthermore, the rapid influx of Western culture in today’s era of globalization now threatens this music with tragicobsolescence.

In an unusual reversal of this cultural current, Andrew Mendelson, a 32-year-old native Texan, has dedicated hislife to the study of the sitar under his guru. A CRICKET IN THE COURT OF AKBAR is a documentary thatfollows Mendelson as he travels to India to compete for the grand prize in the Tournament of Champions, the Sur Sadak gold medal. As he prepares to vie for the championship as the only American competitor, hestruggles to reconcile his western identity with his embrace of the sitar. The film offers a variety of expertsfrom India and the United States with insight into the timely issue of global cultural exchange and the timelessappeal of the musical tradition.

India & USA | 88 min. | Video | 2008

DIRECTORS: Andrew Mendelson, Nadia

Abji

PRODUCERS: Negin Farsad

FEATURES

Korean country boy Tae (Jang Hyuk), has dreamed of being a famous ballroom dancer since his first encounter with the beautiful art form when he was a young boy. Twenty years later, self taught with the aid of dancevideos, Tae knows the only way to take the next step is to leave Korea for Singapore where he can be trainedby Emi Lim (Fann Wong), a former ballroom dancing champion renowned for her ability to take dancers togreat heights.

As the only student in the class without a partner, Tae sometimes partners with Emi in training. Before longit becomes apparent that he has developed feelings for her. Tae struggles with life in his new environment sofar away from home, but none loom larger than Cheng (Jason Scott Lee) – Emi’s boyfriend and former martialarts champion. Threatened by the new student, Cheng warns Tae to stay away from ‘his girl.’

DANCE OF THE DRAGON is an enchanting tale of love, passion, courage, and hope, with the demanding andvisually stunning disciplines of ballroom dancing and martial arts woven as backdrops into the plot.

Singapore I English, Korean w/ English

subtitles | 105 min. I Video I 2008

DIRECTOR: John Radel

PRODUCER: Robin Leong

WRITER: John Radel, Max Mannix

CAST: Fann Wong, Jang Hyuk, Jason Scott

Lee

SUN Oct 12, 12:15PM

*World Premiere

*Director Andrew Mendelson sched-uled to attend & perform

MON Oct 13 7:15PM

*Mature content

A Cricket in the Court of Akbar

Dance of the Dragon

Co-presented by: Intuit Indian Network,

Raag and Taal Academy, Qualcomm, Inc.

Co-presented by: SingMa Club of San

Diego, CSUSM Jam Control World Dance

Org, San Diego Alliance for Asian Pacific

Islander Americans

FEATURES

Dirty Hands: The Life and Crimesof David Choe

O 9::2

OctDEERSI

Q&A with Harry Kim, director of DIRTY HANDS: THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF DAVID CHOEby Gene Huh

Q: How did you decide to make this film?

It started off as a 10-minute doc that I did as a school project. As a thesis, I was going to do this 30-minute thing on David mixing my cinematographer, Johnny Granado’s footage and mine. But when he ended up going to jail and coming out sermoning for Jesus, I had to keep shooting and chasing to see where it would lead me.

Q: You worked on this film for over five years. What was it like to film David Choe’s life during this time period, especially when his career really took off?

David was always hustling before and after his career took off. If anything, David was in a slump in the period right before he went to prison. So that really made things happen and actually turned out good for both of us. After the Los Angeles premiere, my mom told Dave’s mom that she was glad that Dave went to prison because it made my movie happen.

Q: Did you encounter any unusual challenges in making this documentary?

Like being in the Congo and marrying a 15-year old pygmy girl? Hitchhiking across the U.S. and rafting down the Mississippi in an inflatable Wal-Mart fun tube? Yeah, there was a chance I could have died. I would have also given one of my kidneys to have this film

finished two years ago. The money challenge is not so unusual, it sucks for every indie filmmaker to have to invest all your time, money, and energy into a film that 99% of the time would probably not pay you that back. But in the end, you made a movie. I’m just grateful that this one isn’t sitting in my closet gathering dust but that people are actually watching it and they like it.

Q. What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

There was this college film festival/ student screening held at Pitzer when I was back in college. As you can guess, they were pretty bad. At that point, I said hey...I could do better than this shit. So I just started doing it.


FEATURES

Set during the turbulent Sengoku period of Japanese history, DORORO is the story of Hyakkimaru (SatoshiTsumabuki), a young man who had 48 body parts sacrificed to 48 demons before birth by his power-hungry father, Kagemitsu Daigo (Kiichi Nakai). As a result of this demonic pact, Kagemitsu becomes themost powerful man in Japan and his limbless son is left to die. However, a doctor discovers Hyakkimaru andsaves him. The doctor then raises Hyakkimaru as his adopted son, until one day Hyakkimaru comes to therealization that his destiny is to regain his humanity and reclaim his body parts by slaying the 48 demons. Thankfully for Hyakkimaru, has incorporated awesome weaponry into Hyakkimaru’s appendages, includingarms that transform into swords. Hyakkimaru is soon joined by a tomboyish female orphan named Dororo(Kou Shibasaki), the self-proclaimed greatest thief in the world.

A strong performance by dashing lead actor Tsumabuki (“Josee, the Tiger, and the Fish,” SDAFF ’04) issupported by a cast of Japanese stars. All of these elements come together to make DORORO a wonderfulfantasy film that should not be missed.

Japan | Japanese w/English subtitles | 139

min | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Akihiko Shiota

WRITERS: Masa Nakamura, Akihiko

Shiota

PRODUCERS: Takashi Hirano

CAST: Satoshi Tsumabuki, Kou Shibasaki,

Kiichi Nakai, Eita, Mieko Harada

SUN Oct 12, 7:45PM

*Mature contentDororoCo-presented by: Japan Society of San

Diego and Tijuana, UCSD Multi-Asian

Student Association


Sang-won has the dream of being a professional singer, so she becomes a member of her vocational highschool band, Magnolia. The members of Magnolia begin to practice with the band of a neighboring boy’s highschool as recommended by their seniors. As they work together, feelings develop, and friends quickly becomecompetitors for the affection of a boy. Through the relationships of Sang-won, Soi, and Su-ah, the three girlslearn the need to make their own decisions. In the process of their growing pains, they discover their truelove.

Set in a vocational girls’ high school, this coming-of-age film interweaves the themes of friendships betweenschoolgirls, their lives, and their strong determination to hold onto their dreams of making music in spiteof the harsh realities of growing up in Korea. Performing in traditional schoolgirl attire in the spirit of Oreskaband, DRAWING PAPER features the young cast actually doing a decent job creating their own musicin the all-girl band. The unabashed hopefulness in the lyrics that Sang-won sings harkens back to the age of innocence, and what it was like to fall in love with music for the first time.

S. Korea I Korean w/ English subtitles |

94 min. I Video I 2007

DIRECTOR: Sunhee Kim

PRODUCER: Jae-joong Kim

WRITER: Sunhee Kim

CAST: Eun-bi Kang

FEATURES

When filmmaker Emily Ting was asked by her father to return to Asia and take over the family business, shedidn’t exactly know how to say ‘no.’ Promising herself she would try it out for just one year, she traded in her friends, her filmmaking pursuits, and her love of New York for a grueling new life as CEO-in-training in one of Hong Kong’s most notorious toy companies. Two years later, she’s still there – with no end in sight.

From picking up the slack left behind by a runaway brother to steering a sinking company on the brink of bankruptcy, Emily finds herself getting more and more stuck in a life she didn’t choose for herself. But her biggest challenge yet is in trying to reconnect with an absentee father whose passion for his business far outshines his relationship with his family.

In an attempt to come to terms with her new life, Emily turns the camera on herself and her family and theresult is an incredibly honest and at times bittersweet family portrait that examines the price we end uppaying when business and family become one.

China & USA | Mandarin w/ English

subtitles | 47 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Emily Ting

PRODUCER: Helen Jen, Emily Ting

SAT Oct 11 12:25PM

*World Premiere*Director scheduled to attend

SAT Oct 11, 1:10PMWED, Oct 15, 4PM (FREE)

*Mature content

* Producer Helen Jen & Director Emily Ting scheduled to attend Oct 11 screening

*Oct 15 free screening sponsored by Burkett & Wong Engineers

Drawing Paper

Family Inc.

Co-presented by: Burkett and Wong,

Chinese School of San Diego, Harbor

Presbyterian Church



SAT Oct 11, 8:05PM

rector: Bao Tran | 18 min. . | Director: Bao Tr 8 moVideo | 2007

gambles everythingg A bookie gam rythingn an unlucky waitress.on an unluckunlucky waitr

TRT 93 min.In this collection of films, young men confront moral dilemmas and seemingly impossibleont moral dilem and seeminglyd seeminglysituations. Whether they are seeking vengeance, exploring the limits of loyalty or evenlty or eveneance, exploringe limits of loyaltts of loyalchanneling the supernatural, it’s always time for some action!e for some actioways tim

BOOKIE

SHORTS

or: Fernando Huerta | 6Director: Fernando Hueror: F uertmin | Video | 2007de

mock mThis humorous mock es the mythsuctional teaches hsinstructional teache yths

ding againnd realities of defendi instand realities of defevampires.

AIM FOR THE HEART: A GUIDE TO VAMPIRE DEFENSE

Director: Nathan KitKitada | 20Nathan da | 20min. | Video | 20077eo | 2007A hitman returns from the gravefrom the graveman returns f omseekin ce.ng vengeancece.

Director: Anurag Mehta | 14Dirmin. | 35mm | 2007m | 2A mysterious shopkeeper A myst s shopreconnects a young IndianonnerecoAmerican man with hisAmprevious life as a warrior. warpreFeaturing David CarradineCarra(“Kill Bill: Volume 2”).

THE TRIDENTDEAD MAN’S HOUR

Director: Roland Nguyen | 14| 14Director: Rolandd Nguymin. | Video | 2007min. | Video | 2

man must betretray hisA young maprove his loyayalty to apast to p

amese gang.Vietnam

BLOOD DEBTS

Directors: Richard Quebral &Richard Quebractors: R.C. Penque | 8 min. | Video |ue | 8 min. | ViR.C. Vide

082008A disgraced superhero searchesaced superhA o searchgfor a new city to defend.w city tonew city to defen

THE ASIAN ARROW

*Mature content / *CCast and crew scheduled to attend

Fight Night

Director: Mike Gunther | 13 min. her | 1unth| Video | 2007| Vide

hildChildhood friends fall out in theChildsuccessful buaftermath of a successful but

eist.violent heist.

6TH AND SANTA FE


Atieh’s singular passion is food, and her small but popular restaurant on the sleepy Caspian coast is her prideand joy. But when Aziz, her former fiancé, appears after being gone for 20 years, the women believe he hasintentions of closing the restaurant. Atieh prepares his favorite dishes, one after the other, in a desperateeffort to convince him otherwise. Loosely based on the Persian fable of Shahrazad and the “Thousand Myths(A Thousand and One Nights),” director Ali Raffi uses the language of food to paint a richly textured portraitof life and love on the northern coast of Iran.

Iran I Persian w/ English subtitles I 96 min.

I VIDEO I 2006

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Ali Raffi

PRODUCER: Hassan Kalami

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mahmoud Kalari

CAST: Reza Kianian, Roya Nonahali,

Golshifteh Farahani, Maryam Saadat,

Maedeh Tahmasbi, Mehdi Pakdel, Sina

Razani

FEATURES

FOLLOW YOUR HEART is Duncan Jepson’s first venture in filmmaking. By day, Jepson is a corporate lawyer in Hong Kong. His daring documentary explores the life and ideals of a new generation of Chinese, focusingon the beliefs, work and family of a number of China’s successful independent hip hop artists. The group, spread across China, believes in Old School values: self-expression, freedom, and truth to oneself. The filminvestigates the dynamic between the inflexible political environment and a modernizing ancient culture, the issues that are affecting Chinese youth such as “Chinese-ness,” geography, freedom, family, information, consumerism, wealth, and individuality. Finally, the film sets out to describe the high optimism of this newgeneration and the future that they want to build.

Hong Kong | English, French & Cantonese

w/ English subtitles | 91 min. | Video |

2007

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Duncan Jepson

TUE Oct 14 5:40PM

TUE Oct 14, 4PM (FREE)

*Mature content

Free screening sponsored by Burkett & Wong Engineers

The Fish Fall In Love

Follow Your Heart: China’s New Youth Movement

Co-presented by: Persian Cultural

Center of San Diego, Persian Institute at

SDSU/LARC


The emotional bonds between foster-parents-for-hire and the abandoned babies they care for are examinedin the highly acclaimed drama FOSTER CHILD by prolific filmmaker Brillante Mendoza. Based on a true story, it’s a glimpse into the life of a poor foster family in Manila, comprised of mother Thelma (played by the multi-award winning actress Cherry Pie Picache), husband Dado, and sons Gerald and Yuri. The film sees Thelma onthe day she’s forced to part with a precious three-year-old named John-John, who has just been adopted by anAmerican family.

Mendoza gives viewers a rare glimpse into the slums of the Philippines. Like his fixed cameras lens, viewersare forced to take in and contemplate – if only for an hour and a half – on the Third World living conditionsso many Filipino families must endure. What’s more, the film refers to the alarming number of foster homesinterspersed throughout the island nation.

The world premiere of FOSTER CHILD was held at the Cannes International Film Festival and culminated ina rousing standing ovation at the Directors’ Fortnight. -Adapted by Paul Ventura, HIFF

Philippines | English & Tagalog w/ English

subtitles| 35mm | 98 min. | 2007

DIRECTOR: Brillante Mendoza

PRODUCER: Robbie Tan

WRITER: Ralston Jover, Joel Jover

CAST: Cherry Pie Picache, Eugene

Domingo, Jiro Manio, Kier Alonzo, Kier

Segundo

FEATURES

THU Oct 9, 8:15PM

*Mature content

FOSTER CHILD re-screens at the Philippine Cinema Showcase Oct 17-19 at the Chula Vista UltraStar Cinemas (555 Broadway). For info, go to www.philippinecinemashowcase.org

Foster Child


In recent years, films adapted from comic books have dominated the global box offices - from gigantic blockbuster summer movies such as “The Dark Knight,” “300” and “Iron Man” to critically-acclaimed films such “Oldboy,” “A History of Violence” and “Road to Perdition.” Due to the strong representation of Asian Americans within the comic book industry, this trend will surely have an effect on the Asian American arts community.

Join acclaimed artist Jim Lee (“X-Men,” “Batman: Hush”) and writer/filmmaker Greg Pak (“Planet Hulk”, “Robot Stories,” SDAFF ’03) for a lively discussion on the comic book creation process and the adaptation of comics for the big screen from an Asian American perspective. Martin Wong (co-editor of Giant Robot magazine) will moderate this panel.

Book signing with Greg Pak immediately following program at Barnes & Noble (upstairs from theater)

From Comics to Film: A PanelSUN Oct 12, 2:30PM

Jim LeeGreg Pak


Shinichiro Sawai’s GENGHIS KHAN is a Japanese-Mongolian production that topped the box office in Japan. This biopic tells the story of the vast ambitions of Genghis Khan using thousands of extras to recreate thespectacular battles and military feats of the great legend. Takashi Sorimachi stars as Temujin (aka Genghis) asthe story covers his doubts over the secret of his birth, the betrayal of his sworn friend, and his mixed feelingsfor his son.

Similar to the earlier released film “Mongol,” Sawai’s film offers a humanization of the infamous icon, a leader that is stoic patient stong, and emphatic. Beautifully shot on location in Mongolia, the film is an epic not to bemissed on the big screen.


min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Shinichiro Sawai

PRODUCERS: Haruki Kadokawa, Ryuhei

Chiba

WRITERS: Takehiro Nakajima and Shoichi

Maruyama

CAST: Takashi Sorimachi, Rei Kikukawa,

Mayumi Wakamura, Ken’ichi Matsuyama

FEATURES

Set in a world where global warming is more than just a theory, HALF-LIFE tells the story of the Wu family, a suburban family reaching the breaking point. The Wu family - Saura (Julia Nickson), older sister Pam (Sanoe Lake), and eight-year-old Timothy (Alexander Agate) - have their lives shaken up by the arrival of Wendell(Ben Redgrave), an outwardly pleasant young man who has entered into a relationship with Saura. The directionless Pam responds to the problems at home by seeking solace in the company of a young gay man Scott (Leonardo Nam), whose religious parents remain in complete denial of their son’s open sexuality. In the meantime, young Timothy becomes aware of the supernatural powers he possesses. As the natural disasters escalate and the air quality deteriorates, the tension within the family continues to boil until it reaches the story reaches its surreal conclusion.

Deftly blending CG animation with live action, HALF-LIFE is a bold and original debut feature film from director Jennifer Phang. A selection at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, HALF-LIFE stamps Phang as anaggressive filmmaker wiling to take risks and definitely an independent director to watch.

USA | 106 min. | Video | 2008

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Jennifer Phang

PRODUCERS: Alan T. Chan, Reuben Lim,

Robert Zimmer

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Assulv Wolf

Austad

CAST: Alexander Agate, Sanoe Lake, Julia

Nickson, Leonardo Nam, Ben Redgrave

MON Oct 13, 7:35PM

*Mature content

FRI Oct 10, 5:45PM

*Mature content

* Director and cast scheduled to attend

Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea

Half-Life


Diego and Tijuana


Happy Slip:

A talented comedian, anYouTube’s most subscribetter known by her oninternational following oin which she impersonAmerican family.

Gambito’s video Mixed NYouTube Video Awards fosecond place, and recentfor Philippine tourism. Noshoots, and edits her ske

So, where does HAPPY SLIP come from, you may ask?

“As a child, my Filipino mom would always remind me to wear a half-slip with skirts. However, the way she would pronounce the phrase was misleading: “Your hap e-slip! Be sure to wear

rally went around ip,’ until friends at king if I had a ‘sad

SLIP, with Gambitosonal journey, howollywood channels medic presentationsion.

Wednesday, October case, located at the

Chula Vista Center UltraStar. For more information, go to: www.philippinecinemashowcase.org

Co-presented by: Miramar College Diversity/International Education Committee & Verizon Wireless

Moderated by Lee Ann Kim

MON OCT 13 6PM

Uncensored


musician in an unsuccessful rock band, cheating on her. To drown her sorrows, Ah-mi begins to drink heavilyand recklessly until she meets a kindhearted young accountant. Despite her desire for independence, Ah-milives with her older sister, Young-mi (Mi-sook Lee), and Young-mi’s teenaged daughter, Kang-ae (So-hee An). Young-mi, an attractive and successful 41-year-old interior designer, has just entered into an affair with a youngactor, but must also deal with a piece of unwelcome news from her doctor. Kang-ae is busy getting loveadvice from an exotic female friend as she tries to gain attention from her apathetic boyfriend.

Based on the comic book series “10, 20 and 30” and directed by Chil-in Kwon (SINGLES), HELLCATS is asweet, romantic comedy that takes a realistic view of the modern Korean single woman. Terrifically actedand confidently directed, this is a film that transcends the “chick flick” genre to create an intelligent andentertaining film that will appeal to all audiences.


114 min. | 35mm | 2008

DIRECTOR: Chil-in Kwon

WRITERS: Hye-Ryeon Park, Hyeon-su

Kim, Soo-ah Kim

CAST: Min-hee Kim, Mi-sook Lee,

So-hee An, Seong-su Kim, Heung-su

Kim, Hui-seok Yun, Eun-ji Jo, Beom Kim,

Hang-jun Jang

FEATURES

From 1916, when the first Asian American feature-length film was produced, to “Brokeback Mountain” 90years later, HOLLYWOOD CHINESE comprehensively documents the contributions Chinese Americanhave made to American cinema. Featuring interviews with notable artists such as Ang Lee, Wayne Wang, JoanChen, David Henry Hwang, Nancy Kwan, Justin Lin, B.D. Wong, Lisa Lu, and James Hong, this fine documentaryblends the first-person accounts of the earlier pioneers with interviews with some of today’s most influentialstars. The film also contains rare footage, including clips from reels that director Arthur Dong re-discoveredfrom the 1916 film, “Curse of Quon Gwon,” the earliest known Asian American film. All the important eras inAsian American film are covered, including the yellow-face era of exploitation films.

With HOLLYWOOD CHINESE, Award-winning filmmaker Arthur Dong has succeeded in creating anentertaining and extraordinarily informative documentary film. Truly a landmark achievement in AsianAmerican film, HOLLYWOOD CHINESE is a film that should seen by all persons with interest in Americanfilm.

USA | 90 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR/WRITER/PRODUCER:

Arthur Dong

SUN Oct 12, 12:40PMTHU Oct 16, 5:15PM

*Mature content

FRI Oct 10, 6PMTUE Oct 21, 6:15PM (RIVERSIDE)

*Director scheduled to attend both screenings

Hellcats

Hollywood Chinese

Co-presented by: San Diego Women’s

Film Festival

Co-presented by: New Americans

Museum of San Diego



S. Korea & USA | Korean w/

English subtitles | 84 min | Video

| 2008 | DIRECTOR: Hein Seok

FEATURES

Preceded by

WIAMBU – COMFORT

WOMAN

Director: James Bang

S. Korea & USA | Korean &

Japanese w/ English subtitles |

Video | 2008

A 17-year-old Korean girl is

brought to a Japanese military

camp during WWII, where her

catastrophic future awaits.

How did you come across this story?I learned about existence of comfort women fifteen years ago. And to this day, their stories are some of the most heart wrenching I have ever come across.Through various media outlets, I followed the survivors’ constant and unsuccessful efforts to obtain a formal apology from

the Japanese government. So in the summer of 2005, I decided to travel to Korea to visit the House of Sharing - a compound where eight survivors live together. Once I got to know the grandmothers, it was very clear as to what kind of story I wanted to tell.

Was it difficult to gain their trust and get them to open up to you?When I first arrived, I asked the director if I could volunteer at the museum located within the compound. During the first month, I did not shoot at all. I was very concerned about invading their privacy. I wanted to make sure the grandmothers were comfortable with me. After a month, I started shooting at the Wednesday demonstrations and gradually progressed from there. I guess my main challenge was

to let them know that I am not just going to shoot the film and disappear from their lives.

I struck by how charming and funny these women are, but you can see their pain through their art.Seeing the original paintings hanging in the museum at the House of Sharing was one of the most profound experiences I had when I first arrived.

I think that after the most avid painters like Duk-kyung Kang and Soon-duk Kim passed away, the program slowly disappeared. Not all of the grandmothers wanted to paint and some found it very difficult to visualize their pain.


Q&A with directorHein SeokBy Lee Ann Kim

Co-presented by: Thomas Jefferson School of Law - Center for Law and Social Justice, CSUSM Women’s Studies Program, Gabriella Network - San Diego, San Diego Women’s Film Festival, UCSD Kamalayan Kollective, USD Communication Studies

TUE Oct 14, 7:30PM WED Oct 22, 4:30PM (RIVERSIDE)

* Mature content* Director Hein Seok scheduled to

attend Oct 14 screening

House of Sharing

West Coast Premiere

During WWII, eight Korean girls survived kidnapping, torture, and sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army. They returned home, only to spend the next 60 years outcast by society. These eight women are among an estimated 200,000 victims. Now in their eighties, the women continue to fight for justice, even as their time is running out.

In HOUSE OF SHARING, first-time director Hein Seok captured the candid lives of these eight survivors for over a year, as they shared their life stories through heartfelt words, paintings, and songs. During their seemingly hopeless ordeals before and after the war, the women find a collective strength in their outrage. Also revealed is a hidden side to these women, who are simply called halmoni (grandmother). They are lively, loving, and unexpectedly humorous.

HOUSE OF SHARING captures a personal portrait of some of the last living “comfort women,” who are living legacies to the atrocities of war, and the strength of the human spirit.


FRI Oct 10, 7:20PM

ctor: Eli Akira Kaufman | Director: Eli Akira fma. | Video | 200721 min. | Video | 2

A mattress salesman, who A mattress saleemploys faux science to get employs faux sfaux science female customers into bed, fal, falls ustomers intofor a skeptical insomniac wc who cal insomnknows her science betttter than enher heart.

TRT: 114 mins.TA collection of shorts about love and dating, from our heart to yofrom our heart yourrs!

CALIFORNIA KING

SHORTS

ector: Rocky Jo | 8 min. |Director: Rocky Jo | 8 min: Roc| 2008Video | 2008

and adorable KoreanA young and adorable Koreand oreexperiences whatgirl, Hyori, experiences wh, e wha

s remembeymany people always rem ber of falling forps and downs of r - the ups and downs o for

t crusha first crush.

MY FIRST CRUSH

Director: Jason Fong | g | 13 min. |son Fon 3 min. |Video | 200808A lonely vam countantvampire/accouwho doesn’t seem to have muchto have muchoesn’t seem tto havluck with the ladies tries histh the ladies tries histh the ladies tries hises trluchand at Last-Minute Mate Speedand at Last-MMinute Mate SpeehDDating.

rector: Josh Kim | 15 min. |DirecVideo | 2007VidA post office clerk mistakenlyA ost of erk mthinks that a customer is tryings thainks gto get her attention by writingo getopen love letters on postcardson poenhe sends out.

THE POSTCARD BITE ME

Director: Juli Kang | 29 min. ||ector: Juli Kangg | 29 mViddeo | 2007Music happens when a sinsingingMusic happenmute meets the girl of of hismute meet

s, but the path h to true lovedreams, bdeasy when youou can onlyisn’t ea an oiisn

ress yourself if in song. expre ng

DAMN THE PAST!

Director: Vijay Mathew | 14 min. athew | 14 m| Video | 2008A surreal short comedy aboutmedy aboutdating—with a Freueudian twist.

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE FOURTH DATE

*Mature content / *Cast and crew scheduled toast and crew scheduled to attendd to

I Heart U

Director: Vincent Lin | 14 min. |14 miLin |ideo Video | 2007Video |younA young couple’s turn of A youn

ests their luck ultimately tests their nt and changes their commitment a

ever.fate forevefo

364 CRANES


What do Powerball, the planet Mars and sexual innuendos have in common? Fortune cookies of course!Filmmaker Derek Shimoda invites us to take a closer look at a little something taken for granted at theend of nearly every Chinese restaurant meal. Who started it all? Was its birthplace in San Francisco or LosAngeles? And who writes those fortunes anyway?

Shimoda takes us on an irreverent and comical journey revealing the enigmatic and sometimes contentiousback story of the famous fortune cookie. A colorful cast of characters weighs in on the ubiquitous act of cracking open a cookie and trying to discern one’s destiny. Martin Yan from “Yan Can Cook,” Miss SouthCarolina, and Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura offer their take.

Whether you think they’re harmless fun, worry they perpetuate stereotypes of Asian culture or secretlybelieve they’ll lead you to happiness, fortune cookies have become an indelible part of not only Chinese American dining, but American pop culture and beyond, making cameos in everything from “Mr. Rogers” tothe “The Simpsons” to outer space. - adapted from San Francisco International Asian Film Festival

USA | 75 min. | Video | 2008

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Derek Shimoda

PRODUCERS: Derek Shimoda, Jimmy

Tsai

WRITERS: Derek Shimoda, Mark Tasaka

CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Taylor

FEATURES

Amir, 29, is a heartbreaker—literally. As a relationship termination specialist, Amir spends his days deliveringbad news to unsuspecting lovers across Los Angeles. Though Amir claims he is just the messenger, the jobhas made him hard-hearted and as a result, he is the last bachelor in his group of friends. When Amir returnsto his family’s Bay Area home for Thanksgiving, he is reunited with Zara, his charming and beautiful cousinfrom Britain who he has not seen in twenty years. The two cousins do not get along right away. As the daysgo by, Zara grows sympathetic towards Amir’s sad state of perpetual bachelorhood. Over time, Amir startsto soften from Zara’s influence. An undercurrent of sexual tension develops between them as the charadecomes dangerously close to going too far. Will Amir fall for his own cousin?! Or will he become one of hisown victims?

KISSING COUSINS bursts with razor sharp wit and smartly written dialog. Memorable cameos by DavidAlan Grier (“In Living Color”) as Amir’s fellow bachelor buddy, and Jaleel White (“Family Matters”) as hisantagonistic brother-in-law round out the excellent cast.

USA | 99 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/WRITER:

Amyn Kaderali

PRODUCERS: Manish Goyal, Rahul Haria

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alison Kelly

CAST: Samrat Chakrabarti, Rebecca

Hazlewood, P.J.Byrne, Zack Ward, Rachael

C. Smith, David Alan Grier, & Jaleel White.

SAT Oct 11, 4:40PM

SAT Oct 11, 4:50PMWED Oct 22, 7PM (RIVERSIDE)

*Director & cast/crew scheduled to attend Oct 11 screening

*Mature content

The Killing of a Chinese Cookie

Kissing Cousins

Co-presented by: San Diego Chinese

Historical Museum

San Diego Chinese Service Center

Co-presented by: Intuit Indian Network

San Diego Indian American Society

Qualcomm, Inc.


A group of fanatical eco-terrorists have decided to unleash a biological weapon on the planet. When the viruswipes out an entire village in Thailand the authorities call upon L (Kenichi Matsuyama), the greatest detectivein the world, to save humanity. Assisting him are two young children, a boy who was the only survivor of theThai village attack and the daughter of the creator of the virus antidote. Of course, L’s reliable partner Watariis available as always to provide able support.

A spinoff of the wildly popular “Death Note” series of manga (Japanese comics), anime TV show and liveaction films, director Hideo Nakata (RING) takes L, the quirky, sweet-toothed, slightly goth hero of “DeathNote” and places him in a position where he must save the world. A huge box office success in Japan, this filmhas clearly established Kenichi Matsuyama as a superstar and matinee idol. L: CHANGE THE WORLD is funfor everyone and definitely required viewing for fans of the “Death Note” franchise.

Japan | Japanese w/English subtitles | 129

min. | 35mm | 2008

DIRECTOR: Hideo Nakata

PRODUCERS: Nobuhiro Iizuka, Takahiro

Kobashi, Takahiro Sato, Tadashi Tanaka

WRITERS: Tsugumi Oba, Takeshi Obata

CAST: Kenichi Matsuyama, Mayuko

Fukuda, Sei Hiraizumi, Renji Ishibashi, Yuta

Kanai, Youki Kudoh

FEATURES

FRI Oct 10, 8:30PMWED Oct 15, 9:30PM

*Mature contentL: Change the World


Diego and Tijuana

soon,this festival willend.

COME TO B-SIDE—YOUR SOURCE FOR GREAT INDEPENDENT FILM TITLES AND THE SAME GROUP THAT BROUGHT YOU THE WEBSITE AT THIS FESTIVAL.

BUY DVDS OR DOWNLOAD INCREDIBLE INDEPENDENT TITLES AND TOP FESTIVAL FILMS FOR AS LITTLE AS $2.99.

NEVER GO WITHOUT GOOD MOVIES AGAIN.

www.bside.com

the audience is never wrong.

©2008 B-Side Entertainment. All rights reserved. All images are the rights of their respective owners.

…AND YOU'LL BE ON YOUR OWN TO SEARCH FOR UNIQUE, HIGH QUALITY FILMS IN THIS YEAR'S SEA OF BIG BUDGET, LOW CONCEPT MULTIPLEX MOVIES.


SAT Oct 11, 7:20PM

hwaDirector: Kim Myoung-hwa |S. Korea | 8 min.| 35mm | 2006Two young Korean girls g Kooreanmeet and part like a passing d part likerain.

TRT: 96Love is family. Love is true. Love is fleeting. But queer affairs of the heart are never boring!s true. Love is fleeting. But queer t are never bof the er booring!Reception immediately following program sponsored by Ulan Medical SpaReception imm y following progra Ulan Medical Spp

A PASSING RAIN

SHORTS

Director: Edwward GunawEdward Gunawan tor: Edw| 12 min.| Vi| 12 7Video | 2007|

guys go oTwo guy o online for a but discovhookup, but eir over their

thing but casuaromp is anythi sual.but cas

JUST

Director: Wayne Yung | 66Wayne YunDimin.| Video, 20062006minA Chinese man goesAold school to juggle twoboyfriends.

man ChainaniDirectoor: Soman Chainaniectordeo| 2007|14 min.| Video| 200Indian mother A suburban Inndianuburbal after her sonturns vengeful a onns vengefubully.is beaten by a bullya buaten by a

KALI MAMISS POPULARITY

Directors: Chris Nguyen, Dir uyen,ectorsNadine Truong, Ryan Kim |NNa Kim

min. | Video| 2007mi5 mvelorn guy expectingA loveA

-order bride gets aa mail-o gets a delivery.surprise d

YOU’VE GOT MALE

Director: Gina Pei ChiChen | 12 min.| Video| 200712-year-old Shane strugglesto embrace her true self mbraceagainst the weight of t the t ofnst thcultural expectations.tionral ex

S/HE

*Director & crew sw scheduled to attend*Mature content / *Directo d

Co-presented by: FilmOut San Diego, First UU Church Rainbow Outreach, Greater San Diego Business Association, Guys Like Us, Long Yang Club of SD, SD, P.F.L.A.G. SD Chapter, Pride ResourceesourceOffice of SDSU, Family Health CentersCentof San Diego, SD LGBT Community egoCenter - Women’s Resource Center, SD- Women’sPOZabilities, UCSD LGBT Resources, UCCenter

Love is Queer

Director: Jennifer Lin | 7r Lin | 7min.| Video| 2008When a work visa runs out, a bi-national lesbian couplel lesbian risks the life they’ve built life they’ve brisks t ilttogethertogether.ogeth

LOOK AGAIN

Directotor: Sarah Naomi |11 minmin.| Video| 20deo| 2007A young thief discovers that young thief discovef discovers that what she wants she cannot she wants she cannnts she cwkeep.

THE LITTLE KNAVE

or: Josh Kim| S. Korea m| S. KoreDirectorn.| Video| 2007|15 min. deo| 2

rious postcard stirs A mysteriousA s popost office in assions at a post officepa

KoreKorea.KK

THE POSTCARD

Director: Dongkeun Leeupctor: D|6 min.| Video| 2006 6 Animated girl-on-girl action girl agets mythic — and ugly.

SEXY GIRL AND CARPENTER

ARE YOU ASIAN?

Hepatitis B is a worldwide Asian epidemic.1 in 10 Asians are infected here in the U.S.

GET TESTED.

www.asianliver.com

Proud Sponsor of the 9th Annual San DiegoAsian Film Festival



LOVERS begins as a young photographer, Jeremy, arrives in Shanghai on the night of his first solo exhibition inthe city. Elsewhere on that same winter’s night, a young woman, ‘Qiu Sen,’ quickly and silently snaps photos of a random couple while stalking closely behind them. She is eventually led into a small street corner art galleryadvertising Jeremy’s exhibition.

As she follows the couple inside, her life will pause for a moment. In that moment, Jeremy will see her—andshe will see him. When their eyes lock, they will fall for each other for the second time….

The film asks the question, what would you do if you had a chance to heal the wounds of a loved one youhurt deeply? Or would the emotional baggage and pain of past mistakes be too much to overcome? Setagainst the beautiful, glowing backdrop of modern Shanghai, LOVERS deals with the subjects of love both lostand found, and the fragility of a second chance.



2007

DIRECTOR: Carl Zhang

PRODUCERS: Carl Zhang

WRITER: Carl Zhang

CAST: Cherie Leena, James Vegter

FEATURES

High above the commerce and crowds of Hong Kong winds Magazine Gap Road, a secluded enclave of wealth and privilege. Samantha is a curator for a private museum in a world where her past - a life spent inthe Japanese flesh trade - is her most well-kept secret. One day, it catches up with her in a single phone callfrom Kate, another escort, who’s in trouble. For Samantha, helping Kate means going back to the world sheescaped and risking everything - her budding romance with a wealthy antiques collector, the deadly men whorun Hong Kong’s high-class prostitution ring, and most importantly, her own fears that beneath the veneer of respectability, she will always be for sale.

MAGAZINE GAP ROAD is a follow up to director Nicholas Chin’s short film “Tai Tai” (Official Selectionat Cannes 2002) and touts an accomplished cast and crew including Beijing actress Qu Ying, Jessey Meng(“Mummy III”), cinematographer Chan Yuan Kai (“Ashes of Time”) and Oscar award-winning editor Jean Tsien. It is an understated film set away from the crowded Hong Kong that most audiences have seen and takesthem to a world of Hong Kong high society.



2007

DIRECTOR: Nicholas Chin

PRODUCERS: Chiu Wah Lee, Nicholas

Chin

WRITER: Nicholas Chin

CAST: Carl Ng, Elvis Tsui, Qu Ying, Jessey

Ming

TUE Oct 14, 8:30PM

*Mature content

SAT Oct 11 9:30PM

*Mature content

Lovers

Magazine Gap Road


FRI Oct 10, 8:15PMTUE Oct 21, 9:15PM (RIVERSIDE)

Director: Marissa Aroy | 226 min. Director: Ma AroyVideo | 2006| Video | 200

entary highlightingg theDocument ightingvibrant history of Filipinos is ins invibrant hisant history oStockton and is part of tof theckton and is Viewfinder Series.nder Serie

TRT: 69 min. A collection of stories celebrating Pinoy Pride and the diverse Filipino AmericanPride and the se Filipino AmFilipino Amexperience.

LITTLE MANILA

SHORTS

Director: Rochelle Lozada |Director: Rochelle Loector: hilippines | 5 min. | Video | 20088Philippines | 5 min. | Vippine

m Visual Communications’ From Visual Communim Vi iced With a Camera series, , Armed With a Cameed serera

o girl goes on aa a young Filipino girl es on a“lola.”urney to find “lojourney to find “

CELEBRATION

Director: Lonny Stevens | 22 or: Lonny StevD evenmin. | Video | 2008 Video | 2008m World Premiere A young Filipino rld Premier young Forldgirl is caught in the mix of her caught rl is caught in er the other’s dream of living the “good her’s dher’s dream dlife” in America.e” in A” in Ame

Director: Mark VilVillegas | 5 min. or: Mark gas | 5 m| Video o | 2008Up-close with Isaiah Dacio (aka Isaiah Dacio (ak-close with I aiaDJ Icy Ice), from his beginnings om his beginninJ Icy Ice), fromom his as a member of the legendary s a member of the leges a member of the leger ofDJ crew through his recent DJ crew tw through his recen

roprietor of his notorietyty as proprietor obusiness Stacks Records. DJ busineess Staness

LEGENDAN IMMIGRANT GIRL’S JOURNEY

Clarissa De LosLos Reyes Director: Claarissa D| Video | 2007007| 11 min. | V

documented cd caregiver An undot choose betwtween going must c

ome to grieve e her father’s homdeath or contintinue being the one de ue bthat everyonone depends ont pen

GIVING CARE

*Mature content // *Directors scheduled to attend

CollegeCo-presented by: Miramar C

ternational Education Diversity/International Ed

Committee

Manila and Beyond

This program will repeat at theChula Vista Ultrastar Cinemas (555 Broadway) October 17-19. For information, go towww.philippinecinemashowcase.org


SAT Oct 11, 12:15PMMON Oct 13, 5PM

21Director: Rita Rani | India | 21Direectormin. | Video | 2007min. |VidAmerican-born Anjali runs off Am li runs to India to become a moviea movistar, but is cstar, but is chased down by anangry father whowho eventuallyreconnects with the he city hecity once called home.

TRTRT: 85 min.A scrumptious mix of films, perspectives, and lives representing the diversity of the South mptious mix of films, perspectives, and g the diverspre ersityse y of thhe SouAsian experAs rience.

BOMBAY SKIES

SHORTS

Director: Suel Kim | 8 min. | Suel Kim | 8Director: Suel KimVideo | 200008deo | 20A police officer racially profilesA ficer racially p

photographer, threatening the a ph er, threateninty of his community and his safety mmunity and is

hild.own ch

SNAP-SHOT

Director: Ai Lene Chohor | Malaysia | 14 min. | Videodeo | 2007007An Indian girl born into thethe life ntoan girof a servant only lives for the he ives fovantlove and affection of a lonelyf a lonChinese grandmother who runs r whoa food delivery business. od de

irector: Anurag Mehta | 16 Dire or: AnD | 16| 35mm | 2008min. | 335mm | 2mi

eper (David A wisee shopkeeps a young man Carraddine) helps a rrad

warrior discoverer his inner wscovert Indian ncient Inthrough an ancient an

dose of a healthy doseTrident and aHindu spirituauality.Hindu spiritua

THE TRIDENT TIFFIN

Director: Ruslan Pak | S. Korea | S. Korea 13 min. | Video | 200813 min. | Video | 2008eo | 2

d South AsA talented South Asian man outh struggles with adapting to life in struggles with adapting to life in adaSeoul, South Koreoul, South KoreaoreSe

DANCE OF A FREEBIRD

*Mature content / *Directctors scheduled to attend*Mature contenontentten

Co-presented by: San Diego Indian

American Society, Qualcomm, Inc.,.

Intuit Indian Network

Masala Bites

Director: Maya Anand | 15min. |d | 1Video | 2008A rebellious Indian-Americanous anteenager catches her father catccheating, and must decidewhether or not to share thisnotsecret.

ANJALI

THE MEANING OF TEA, gorgeously filmed by Gordon Arkenberg, explores the romance and complexitiessurrounding tea, a universally beloved and widely consumed beverage. The film travels through eight countries, unveiling many reasons behind tea’s mysterious appeal. From afternoon tea in the Midwestern United Statesto tea estates in India, from the traditional tea ceremony of Japan to modern tea life in Morocco, the filmexplores the rituals and ceremonies of tea celebrated and enjoyed by a myriad of unique cultures. Thecommon thread weaving together these individual stories is the question of whether there is any inherentmeaning to be found in tea, particularly in an era increasingly dominated by mass marketing and fast food. The film also examines the role certain modern forces pay in threatening the survival of tea and its culturalsignificance. By visiting places where tea is still revered and by investigating its role in these societies, THEMEANING OF TEA suggests the profoundly positive role tea may play in our future.

France, India, Ireland, Japan, Morocco,

Taiwan, United Kingdom & USA | 74 min.

| Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Scott Chamberlin Hoyt

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Scott

Chamberlin Hoyt

PRODUCER: Michaela McKee, Keir

Moreano

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY:

Gordon Arkenberg

FEATURES

MON Oct 13, 5:30PM

*Free Reception immediately following, sponsored by

The Meaning of Tea

Co-presented by: San Diego Alliance for

Asian Pacific Islander Americans

Interview with Aaron Bates, whose life was the basis of the movie, MY FATHER By Lee Ann Kim

Q: How did the movie come about? Was it from all the publicity in Korea for your search?

Yes, the movie came about due to my search [for my biological parents] and publicity. During my first military year

(1996), I was stationed in Korea. I was very fortunate to have a Korean solider as my roommate. I asked for his help, and he helped find the orphanage, then posted an ad in the Kwangju newspaper, which somehow got on a SBS documentary in late 1996.

About three years later, I was

notified that my biological father was trying to contact me. In July 2000, I met my father for the first time at prison surrounded by a lot of Korean media.From October 2000 through January 2002, I got to know my father. During those years, two KBS producers (Hyun Mo Jung &

Sanghan Lee) filmed my journey. Sometime in 2003, KBS released a documentary. Through that 2003 documentary, the movie company contacted me in 2005 to make a movie.

Q: How close was the movie to your real experience?

It’s a movie not an autobiography. So the movie is NOT always accurate but a lot of “experience” were very close such as me going to military and while I was in the military, going to search for my parents.

Were there any scenes that particularly touched you?

At the very end of movie where the hand is over the heart—I broke down and cried tears of joy and honor!

Q: What about your adoptive parents, how did they react to your search and the movie? Have they seen it?

Due to my different “facial features,” my adopted parents have told me I was adopted since I was able to understand English. They’ve ALWAYS been supportive. So they were honored to know that my successful search became a movie. They enjoyed [the film] so much they watched it twice in Korea and just recently again in the United States.

Q: If there’s anything you’d like people to get out of the film, what would that be?

Three things: 1) Regardless of the situation, praise God for everything! 2) Greatest gift God gave to all is that “Love conquers ALL and love never fails” and, 3) ADOPTION reaps more blessings then one can really comprehend - adoption works!

Meet Aaron Bates in person at the 5:05PM Oct 11 screening of MY FATHER

Aaron Bates (right) with Director Dong-hyeok Hwang

FEATURES

Co-presented by: Korean American Bar

Association of San Diego, Arthouse

Movies Meetup Group


FEATURES

Co-presented by: AAJA San Diego

Rainbow Integral Kids School

Rescue Task Force

The Spiritual Kick of Director Greg Hamilton’s MYSTIC BALL By Dr. Craig D. Reid

At first glance chinlone (“cane-ball” in Burmese), a spiritual kicking art created by Burmese ancients over 1500 years ago, looks like David Beckham juggling a soccer ball with his feet while using martial arts contortions and spins. But in actuality, the driving force of this traditional game, this nationwide treasure that exists within the borders of Myanmar but outside the political boundaries of a country in turmoil, is that the challenge of chinlone is ultimately about beauty and elegance.

MYSTIC BALL recounts Greg Hamilton’s 25-year journey on a path deemed closed to foreigners; the art of chinlone. Yet with his purity of love for something he did not

understand other than a feeling to discover, he answered a calling, braved the elements and became the first foreigner to play chinlone at the highest level and to open doors to a side of Burmese culture that is often ignored or hidden.

“I first saw someone doing chinlone in a Toronto park in 1981,” Hamilton reminisces. “I never played soccer, wasn’t familiar with it, but when I saw chinlone, I was immediately fascinated that he was kicking the ball behind his back without looking.”

Made out of rattan and held together by the rattan’s tension, the chinlone ball’s patented ching-bingling sound, as a result of 200 possible kicking maneuvers, is also part of the mantra-like tonality that can ultimately trance the player into a feeling of overwhelming happiness. One of the sparkling enigmas that Hamilton features prominently in the film is

the chinlone solo artist Su Su Hlaing. Known as the “Golden Princess,” she seems to have elevated the game into a somewhat Zen realm of fantasy.

When asked about the film’s theme, Hamilton thoughtfully posits that it is about transcending limitations, loneliness and one’s culture into another culture. “It’s finding one’s place in the world. The film shows that somebody went out of their own way in spite of others around them, and found that deep passionate interest in life.”

Although in chinlone it is not a goal to be a national or world champion, Hamilton would like to be a champion for chinlone in his quest to spread the word of the art. “I am searching for a sponsor or patron. I want to get the players out on tour so the world can see them and respond to them. This is my next journey.”


Some 20 years in the making, MYSTIC BALL is a testament to the passion and perseverance of Canadian director

Greg Hamilton – not only as a filmmaker but as a champion of chinlone, the national sport of Myanmar.

As its leading foreign expert and player, Hamilton thoroughly introduces Western audiences to this unknown,

mesmerizing game. Invented over 1500 years ago and considered by many to be the oldest form of soccer,

chinlone is a mix of hackey sack, tai chi, dance, and a lot of meditation. Teams composed of both men and women form an ever-morphing circle to keep a woven rattan ball

from touching the ground by employing any of the 200 different kicks that have evolved over the centuries. In

chinlone, which is played to music, no score is kept; the focus is not on winning or losing but rather the sheer

beauty and joy of the play.

Even more relevant in the wake of the unrest coursing through Myanmar this fall, MYSTIC BALL – like the game it portrays – shows the importance of play for the prospect

of unity and peace.

Canada, Myanmar & USA | Burmese w/ English


DIRECTOR: Greg Hamilton

PRODUCER: Matthew London, Greg Hamilton

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Jeremy Pollar, Aung

Ko Latt, Matthew London, John Maronset, Alex

Morrison, Emiko Omori, Dyanna Tayl

SUN Oct 12, 3:20PMTHU Oct 23, 5PM (RIVERSIDE)

*Mature content* Director scheduled to attend

October 12th screening

Mystic Ball


As a Sikh man with a full beard and turban, Dr. Amrit Singh (Omid Abtahi) is often faced with the realities of racial profiling. But when he sees his dreams of becoming Chief of Surgery at a state-of-the-art transplantcenter dwindle because of his appearance, Amrit makes a wrenching decision. He goes against a tradition he’smaintained his whole life and cuts his hair. Despite his resolve to abandon tradition, he hides this decision from his girlfriend and family, which marks the beginning of a series of compromises as he deals with hospital politics and health care injustices. When the condition of patient Mary Stewart (Brenda Strong, “DesperateHousewives”) turns grim, Amrit begins to reexamine the value of the religious traditions he’d turned his back on. When a family secret is finally revealed, Amrit begins to understand the meaning behind the Sikh tradition.

Among the first feature-length narrative films portraying the Sikh experience, the award-winning OCEAN OFPEARLS is a powerful look at one man’s balancing act between faith, family, and getting ahead.

2008 Grand Jury Award, Audience Award Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival

USA | 94 min. | Video| 2008

DIRECTOR: Sarab Neelam

WRITER: V. Prasad

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jeff Dowd,

Jim Burstein

CINEMATOPHER: Lon Stratton

CAST: Omid Abtahi, Heather McComb,

Ron Canada, Navi Rawat, Ajay Mehta,

Brenda Strong

FEATURES

SUN Oct 12, 5PM

*Mature Content

*Cast & crew scheduled to attend

Ocean of Pearls

Co-presented by: South Asian Bar

Association of San Diego, Arthouse

Movies Meetup Group, Qualcomm, Inc.

Bring out the kids for the world premiere screening of one of Nick Jr.’s most popular shows - Ni Hao, Kai-Lan. Trick or treat, it’s Halloween! Kai-lan and her friends dress up to go trick or treating with YeYe (grandpa). Kai-lan is a dinosaur, Tolee’s a panda, Hoho’s the Monkey King, and Rintoo is his favorite — a dragon! Butjust when they set out to trick or treat, Rintoo sprains his ankle. YeYe helps him and tells him that he needsto stay in bed and rest. Rintoo realizes that means he can’t go trick or treating, and he starts to cry. It’s upto Kai-lan and the viewer to figure out how make things better for Rintoo. Kai-lan has a great idea — theycan make Rintoo’s bed into a huge dragon costume, attach some wheels, and zoom around the backyard togo trick or treating, without Rintoo ever getting out of bed! Rintoo is thrilled, and everyone has an amazingHalloween.

USA | 25 min | Video | 2008

SAT Oct 11, 10:30AM

*World Premiere / *FREE Screening

*Join us for a free book reading im-mediately following Ni-Hao, Kai-Lan at the Barnes & Noble bookstore upstairs from the theater at Hazard Center, starting at 11AM.

Ni Hao, Kai-Lan

Co-presented by: Barnard Elementary

School, Kidsland.tv


On April 30, 1975, the final day of the Vietnam War, Doan Hoang’s family departed Saigon on the lasthelicopter out of the country. On that day, a nation was reunified, but Doan’s family was torn asunder, asbrother was separated from brother and Doan’s half-sister, Van, was left behind. Twenty-five years later, Hoangbegan shooting documentary footage of her family’s story, uncovering family secrets along the way, finallyculminating with the Hoang family’s return to Vietnam five years later.

In this astonishing look at a family divided by war, Hoang’s camera is omnipresent, providing the type of intimate access to the Hoang family that only a family member could obtain. The result is the creation of apowerful documentary film depicting the raw emotion and natural human reactions of a family’s struggle toovercome the ramifications of wartime decisions.

USA & Vietnam | English & Vietnamese w/


DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Doan Hoang

WRITERS: Doan Hoang, Bret Sigler

FEATURES

The big budget and star-studded Korean film OPEN CITY is an urban crime story loaded with action andsexual tension. Set in the gritty streets of Seoul, the story is a cat and mouse game involving a network of professional pickpockets. Sexy actress Son Ye-jin shows off in the lead role as Baek Jang-mi (White Rose), theboss of a dangerous gang of pickpockets affiliated with the Japanese Yakuza. Jang-mi aspires to expand her turf by conquering Seoul’s hot spots like Dongdaemun and Myeong-dong, but she’ll need the help of a young andhandsome detective (Kim Myung-min) who falls for her beauty.

OPEN CITY delivers as the slick action thriller with relentless violence, a pretty realistic portrayal of theunderground crime world and bonus—beautiful women in off-the-runway fashions.


112 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Sang-ki Lee

CAST: Ye-jin Son, Myeong-min Kim

THU Oct 9, 6:10PMTUE Oct 21, 5:30PM (Riverside)

SUN Oct 12, 9:25PMTUE Oct 14, 9PM

*Mature content

Oh Saigon

Open City

Co-presented by: Vietnamese American

Youth Alliance

Co-presented by: San Diego Dragon Boat

Team



For Ruth Okimoto, the scars from her internment during World War II have never healed. The need toconfront the past brings her back to the desert of Arizona where she spent her childhood years behindbarbed wire — back to where Poston was built.

The Poston Relocation center, built on the Colorado River Indian Reservation, served as one of teninternment camps built in seven states. Between 1942 and 1945, the Poston camps housed over 18,000Japanese and Japanese American detainees. PASSING POSTON follows Ruth’s moving journey as shesearches for meaning in the inexplicable while discovering the true story of how the Poston camp came intobeing. Ruth’s answers become an awakening and a road to revelation as the film examines the emotionaland haunting stories of several other former internees of Poston. Each person is shadowed by a tragic past, each struggling in their own painful way to reconcile the trauma of their youth, each yearning during the lastchapter of their lives to find their rightful place in this country.

USA I 70 min. I Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Joe Fox & James Nubile

WRITER: Joe Fox

PRODUCER: Fly On The Wall

Productions

FEATURES

An exciting showcase of some of the most insane dance performances and unforgettable power moves, PLANET B-BOY depicts the global resurgence of breakdancing and the personal stories of those bustin’ themoves. The film follows a dancer in Las Vegas looking for his big break, a Korean son who seeks his father’sapproval and a 12-year-old boy in France confronting his family’s racism. From the outskirts of Paris to thesuburbs of Seoul, the film serves as a reminder of hip hop’s influence on different and diverse cultures.

Forgotten by the mainstream and written off as an embarrassing 80s fad, breakdancing had a long climbback to being accepted by the masses, but on the streets and in underground clubs from Tokyo to the USAit never died, bubbling under the surface with a huge cult following and exploding each year in internationalcompetition. Following four crews of ‘B-Boys’ from different nations as they prepare to battle it out atthe 2005 world championships, this frenetic documentary shows off the dizzying spectacle of the art form, showcasing the skill and acrobatics of break dancing’s idiosyncratic characters.

France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea & USA|

95 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Benson Lee

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Chris C. Kim,

Donny Huang, Johnny Lee

PRODUCERS: Amy Lo, Benson Lee

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Vasco Nunes

EDITOR: Benson Lee, Jeff Marcello

MON Oct 13, 5:15PM

*Reception immediately following program

TUE Oct 21, 7PM (RIVERSIDE ONLY)


Passing Poston

Planet B-Boy

Co-presented by: Buddhist Temple of San

Diego, Japanese American Citizens League

Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana,

CSUSM Asian Pacific Islander Faculty Staff

Assoc., CSUSM Cross Cultural Center

Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego, Phi Alpha

Theta (Alpha Zeta Chi Chapter)/History

Club


Winner of the Sterling Audience Award at the AFI Silverdocs Film Festival, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME is one of the most insightful and enjoyable documentaries of the year. In a school of Wuhan, China, it’s time to elect aclass monitor. Three eight-year-old contenders are chosen to square off: an incumbent known for his harshdictatorship, the smart yet shy girl, and the class clown. With their parents coaching and strategizing as thefree election approaches, the children face their fears and their challengers in a no-holds-barred series of classroom debates. The election elicits betrayals, tears, and laughter, revealing the hardships of campaigningand the lessons of dealing with defeat.

In this immensely entertaining snapshot of a culture going through change and the growing pains of their children, Weijun Chen’s expertly crafted film will have you on the edge of your seat as the winner is announced.

–Natalie McMenemy, AFI FEST

China | Mandarin w/ English subtitles | 58

min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Weijun Chen

PRODUCERS: Don Edkins

FEATURES

The original PUBLIC ENEMY told the story of a corrupt, burnt-out cop, Chul-Joong Kang, whose professionalpassions are reignited when he crosses paths with a pampered, spoiled thrill killer. This time around, Kang isready to retire after a lifetime of fighting crime, injuries, and a zero credit rating. He can’t afford a house, andcaring for his family is out of the question.

On the other end of the social spectrum is Lee Won-Sul, a successful businessman with hundreds of investments, a country house, and a doting family. He’s much-loved, highly respected and a great man in all the ways the irascible, corner-cutting, deadbeat Kang is not.

So when Kang comes up with a link between Lee and some recent murders, people tend not to believe him. The more he tries to prove that everyone’s favorite fella is a slimy crook commanding an empire of crime, themore he’s dismissed as jealous, crazy, and downright dangerous. -Adapted by New York Asian Film Festival


127 min. | 35mm | 2008

WRITER: Jin Jang

CAST: Kyung-gu Sol, Jae-young Jung,

Moon-shik Lee

THU Oct 9, 5:45PMTHU Oct 16, 4PM (Free)

THU Oct 9, 8PM SAT Oct 11, 10PM TUE Oct 21, 8:45PM (RIVERSIDE)

Please Vote for Me

Public Enemy Returns

Free screening on October 16 sponsored

by Burkett & Wong Engineers

Co-presented by: San Diego Multicultural

Asian Professionals



Against the backdrop of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and escalating international condemnation anddemonstrations over Chinese policies from Tibet to Darfur, THE RED RACE presents a detailed insight intothe Chinese passion for gymnastics.

The Lu Wan District Youth Athletic School in Shanghai seems to value competitive sports over readingand writing for its students. Many of the children come from rural provinces and live with grandparents or surrogate caretakers. Their parents hope to give them opportunities not available in the countryside. Somechildren voice hope that they will eventually become successful enough to build homes for their families. Yetthe path won’t be easy. The trainers often “teach” by humiliation and punishment, and reward with candy.

These are the realities that the young children must face, as must the parents who send them knowing thattheir chances for success are slim and the journey will be grueling. As the film progresses one questionpersists: at what price is the New China? -Gail Silva, Silverdocs

China | Mandarin w/ English subtitles | 70

min.| Video| 2008

DIRECTOR: Chao Gan

FEATURES

MON Oct 13, 4PM (FREE)WED Oct 15, 5:30PM

Red Race

Free screening on October 13 sponsored

by Burkett & Wong Engineers


TUE Oct 14, 6PM

Directed by Michael CheenDirected by el CFilipino woman launchhes A Filipino wo aunches

r the California sttate a bid for t rnia stlegislature, but faces a toughugh gh legislaturelature, but fachallenge: bringing out tht the APIAPI lenge: bringinvote.

TRT: 70 min. A collection of short films that confront Asian Pacific Islander voter apathy, but alsoAsian Pacific Is er voter apathyvoter apathcelebrate API heroes of democracy. Reel in the Vote is a FREEel in the Vote is EE program. program. Reception immediately following program, coordinated by Katz & Assocsociates.coordinated by Karogram, Associates..ciates

ABSENT VOICES

SHORTS

Directed by Curtis ChinDirected by Curtis Chected oping to have an impact on theeHoping to have an impping to

oming election, a group of upcoming election, a gomi a grds decide to make a publiclicfriends decide to mads a puake

cement aboutt theservice announcem abo tvoting.portance of votimportance of vo

THE BIG V

Directed by Deanan Limed by De LimFirst-time votinng experience of ime votin periencean Asian American girl who justcan girl who jusAsian Americantur en.rned eighteeen.

Directed by Eddie KimAn entertaining yet informativetiveainocumentary that delves intodoc intotary t

the reasons as to why therethe rth reis a perceived lack of AsianAmericans voting. oting.A

POWER OF THE SWING VOTETHE ALISON CHRONICLES

ted by Ron TuaTuatagaloaDirectedystory of the fie first and onlyThe strvesian American n elected to seAsia. on the San DiDiego city councilon o ci

THE GREATER GOOD: THE POLITICAL JOURNEY OF TOM HOM

Directed by Eric Bylered by Eric BylD ylerShaquille and Annabel areuille and AnnS abel areAsian American immigrantsn American grantsian with opposite views onoppositeith opposite v ew“Illegal Immigration.” Duringlegal Imlegal Immigrapublic demonstrations, each isublic de h iss, eachblic democonfronted by passersonfront s-by whors-by wchallenge their respective views.halleng espective views.pective viewres

HELP SAVE MARYLAND FROM WHAT?!

possible byReel in the Vote was made pornia Independent grants from the California

ct, Epsilon Systems Solutions, Voter Project, Epsilon mily Foundation, and Zerothe Hom Fam

Divide.

Reel In The Vote

Directed by Cheryl Kanekaryl KanheryAsian Americans discuss whyscuss ththey do not vote, creating a th

cture of immigcomplex picture of immigrantmunities shaped by theicommunities shaped by their old

d new homelands.and na

BANANA REPUBLIC

yr

Watch REEL IN THE VOTE after the festival On Demand on Cox Digital Channel 1, Free Zone, My Community and Time Warner CableChannel 144

Although the Reel Voices studentsare only about half generation younger than me, their skills and style of media communication define the rapid changes in video/culture/media that have come to pass since I was their age.

It’s unnecessary to comment on how much YouTube and MySpace have influenced teen filmmakers. These forums have become casual dialects of young mediamakers--mediamakers who tend to worry less about how well their projects are produced, and instead how large their guaranteed audience will grow the moment it is “posted” to the world. This reality is as empowering as it is problematic, isn’t it?

Navigate YouTube and the thousands of young voices and faces, and try to find the “real voices” - it can be frustrating! Each of us can feel, see, and hear when something is “REAL.” That is what these students have shown me, and now you - the audience.

These seven awesome students have reinforced my belief that the casualness of youth filmmaking can create an even more conscious and critical type of filmmaker.

This is where these students shine. They opened their minds, and over the course of the program, we all restlessly traveled the Reel Voices journey. A great ride that ended way too soon!

No matter how much filmmaking changes, we can always count on what’s real – what has heart and soul – and listening to the voices of a new generation is a great way to begin that discovery.

Thanks Mike, Mari, Joska, Harrison, Elle, Al, Ryan, Aki. I learned something from each of you and I think we all grew together this summer. Hope it was fun.

-AKIRA CHAN is the teaching assistant for Reel Voices.

Akira Chan, Instructor

Reel Voices 2008


Watch REEL VOICES after theEL Vfestival On Demand on Cox De

igital Channel 1, Free Zone, MyDiCommunity and Time Warner CommCable Channel 144Ca


SUN Oct 12, 12PM (FREE)

tor: Mari Jacobson | 5 minin. Director: Mari miobs| Video | 2008| Video | 2008 2008A look into the role of a to the role osame-sex couple within a a family ouple witdynamic.

TRT: 50 min.TCome experience the Reel Voices of seven, talented San Diego high school students with thealented San Die high school studschool stuworld premiere of their short documentaries produced through the San Diego Asian Film go Asian Film es produced throta the San Diegog mm San DiegFoundation. You’ll be proud to say you saw these films here first. these films here ou sawFree reception following screening sponsored by L&L Hawaiian Barbeque of Eastlake and Mira Meque of Eastlake and Mira Mesa.g screening sponsored by L&L Hawaiian Bred by

DICK, DICK & JANE: THE MODERN AMERICAN FAMILY

SHORTS

: Elle Lipson | 7 min. |Director: Elle Lipson | 7 miElle minVideo | 200800

th a geneticth An artistic teen with a g ticwith howndition, deals wiskin condition, deals w w

her self-her appearance affects he -her appearance affectutlookimage, her art, and her ou k t and

on beauty.

THE BEHOLDER: BEAUTY THROUGH THE EYES OF APRIL MITCHELL

Director: Ryan Medel | el | 7min. | yan Mede min. | Video | 200808The struggle ew and oldggles that new wahine competitors undergo tors undergo to competitorsrs undepreserve the Hawaiian traditionve the Hawaiian traditiove the Hawaiian traditiowaiiapreof hulahula dancingng. f

rector: Akio Mitsunaga | 9Direcmin. | Video | 2008 min | 008How conducive is the modernH w c e is thpublic school enviornmentc schublic to student creativity? Ino stu2007, Matt Wong dared todared07experiment and learned not tornedmess with bureaucracy.

FREE MATT WONGNAPUA LLIMA ‘O KEHAULANI

Director: Joska Charles | 9 9 min.| irector: Joska Video | 2008Video | 2008Victims of Sudan’s genonocidalVictims of

are their harrorrowingwar sharwrience and effofforts to keepexperie s toeex

r culture aliveve towards thetheir dunger generaration.you

THE ALMOST LOST GENERATION

A priest champions the strugglempions the strugst chamto bring free education to thee education toto brin to t

orest of the poor in Tijuana.f the poor in poore Tijuana.

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

sible by grants Reel Voices was made possib

of America, The Junior Seaufrom Bank of America, Th

Bob Hoffman Productions, Foundation, B

hnologyand Sony Tech

Reel Voices

Director: Harrison Tong | 9 min. g | 9 TongVideo| Video | 2008Video ou seeYou see so many Asian teens in You see

America, so whyleagues across America, so why ishe NBA only Yao Ming it that in the NBA only Yao Ming

to mind?comes to mes

OUT OF BOUNDS


New York-based filmmaker Ron Morales makes a striking feature debut with this beautifully filmed coming-of-age tale of a Filipino American boy who must return “home” after the death of a loved one. Young Hector loses his mom during a critical time in his life as an impressionable young teen. With no other family connections, he is taken in by his estranged grandmother in the Philippines. Unable to speak Tagalog, Hector strug-gles in this unfamiliar home (and an even more unfamiliar country), and soon falls into the wrong crowd with some local street kids.

Things seem to turn around for Hector as

SAT Oct 11 2:35PM

Philippines & USA | Tagalog w/ English

subtitles | 85min. | 35mm | 2008

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Ron Morales

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ellen Morales,

Ray Morales

PRODUCERS: Louise Lovegrove, Karin

Chien, Ron Morales

Cinematographer: Yaron Orbach

CAST: Jacob Kiron Shalov, Melissa Leo,

Jaime Tirelli, Maria Lopez

FEATURES

*Mature Content


This film repeats as part of the Philippine Cinema Showcase October 17-19 at the Chula Vista Ultrastar Cinemas. For information, go to:www.philippinecinemashowcase.org

Santa Mesa

Co-presented by: Filipino American NationalHistorical Society, Mabuhay Alliance,

Philippine-American Youth Organization

he befriends Jose, an older photographer who takes him in and begins to mentor him. Simultaneously he also finds comfort in a developing friendship and crush with Sel (Maria Lopez) as they commiserate over issues of isolation at home. His worlds begin to collide as he notices that Jose has a mysterious connection with one of his random photography subjects.

With excellent performances, SANTA MESA convincingly captures the beauty and awkwardness of cultural isolation and teen angst amidst the tender sadness of losing a loved one. -Adapted by Ernest Mark

SANTA MESA: GONEBUT NOT FORGOTTENBy Dr. Craig D. Reid

Crossing a bridge spanning the PasigRiver from metro Manila to the rickety, shanty-like outskirts of the Philippinecapital, to a neighborhood foreignersnever discover, first generation Filipino-American Ron Morales inadvertently created a historical record of a fading landscape in his directorial debut film SANTA MESA.

A country built on its railroad system, where squatter colonies arosealong these rail lines. When Morales serendipitously stumbled upon one of these colonies and combined it withhim trying to understand his family past, SANTA MESA evolved.

This is a personal tale about Hector (Jacob Kiron Shalov), a 12-year old, orphaned Filipino-American kid electrocuted by culture shock after being shipped off to Manila to live with a longlost relative; a grumpy old grandma (localstar Angie Ferro) who does not speak English and would be just as happy tonever have met him.

“I saw a lot of Hector in me,” Moralesshares. “When I first cast Hector, Ienvisioned him to be a mix, further bringing out the loss of Filipino heritage. When it comes to Filipino culture, we are both lost because I was raised in an all-white neighborhood and have seen a decline in my culture.”

Morales explains that he and his family are not tight, they have become distant and don’t know each, which has probably

come from the typical plight of immigrantworkers trying to make a better financiallife in America.

“I recall a conversation [my mom and I] had when I was 16 where she said her mom would tell her, ‘The hardest thing that you will ever have to accept is that this is your life and what you do with it, is up to you.’ It is the underlying point of the film.”

During his most recent trip back to the Philippines, Morales sadly notes thatSanta Mesa no longer exists, the housesare torn down and everyone has been relocated to a place three hours outside the city. Morales’ film has now become a historic cinematic record of the country’squickly vanishing railway squatter colony system, another enigmatic part of Filipinoculture that will soon be lost of forever.

Catch Them All! | 6All! hem | 69

THU Oct 9, 7:45PM

ard Kim | 16 min. Director: Edward Ki . min. | Video | 2008

es hisA frustrated filmmaker sees failing ideas come to life.failinng ide

TRT: RT: 113 min.A collection of short films produced by filmmakers in America’s Finest City.n of short films produced by film ’s Finest Citn Am City.

UNTITLED

SHORTS

Godwin &rectorsDirectors: Steve Godw| 7 min. | VideoM h ll |Wesley Mitchell | 7

|| 2008Somewhere in a galaxy far, far ere in a galaxymewhere in a gaway, sign spinner skills are inspinner skills aay, signhigh demand.hig d

FOLLOW THE SIGNS

Director: Glenn o | 1313n Gimutao r: Glmin. | Video | 2008008VideoThis non-fiction film fofollows thelife of a bi-racial teenager er dealinglingwith his homosexuality and nd hislity s homparents who are in denial.n dendenia

Director: Raymond Gallardoardo | ond G44 min. | Video | 200844 200

medy builds in an effort to Com dy buildCRosave Roon Jr.sav

SAVE RON JR.ESCAPING THE NORM

Director: Jeffrey Ferrer | 15 min. Direct min. | Video | 2008dDevastated after suffering a personal tragedy, a man is given a n is given second chance to relive his past.second chance to relive his past.nce to

TIMELESS

Co-presented by Groovy Like a MovieScene in San Diego

Director: Stephanie Argy & Alecgy &DBoehm | 11 min. | Video | 2006deo | 2Did Mohandas K. Gandhi reallypinch-hit for the New York Yankees in 1933?in 19

GANDHI AT THE BAT

e content / *Directors schedheduled to attend*Mature c *Directo eduled


Arguably the world’s most popular Mandarin-language recording artist, Jay Chou has successfully forayed intoacting through roles in “Initial D” and “Curse of the Golden Flower.” With his directorial debut film SECRET, Chou establishes himself as a gifted performer and a skillful auteur, directing a script based on his own originalstory. Not bad for a Taiwanese pop superstar.

Chou plays Lun, a music student at a secondary school who one day meets Yu while she is playing an evocativetune on the piano. “What’s the melody you played the first day we met?” asks Lun. “That’s my secret,” Yuwhispers back. What evolves is an innocent and seemingly typical young romance between the two talentedpianists. But the real intrigue of the film begins when Lun discovers an old photograph of Yu with his father (Anthony Wong), which triggers him to investigate the mystery of Yu and the secret melody she plays. SECRET is a fun, for-all-ages film with a surprise twist that your girlfriend, parents, or teenage kids will allenjoy.

Hong Kong & Taiwan | Mandarin w/

English subtitles | 101 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Jay Chou

PRODUCERS: J.R. Yang

WRITER: To Chi-long

CAST: Jay Chou, Kwai Lun-mei, Anthony

Wong

FEATURES

Set during the Chosun Dynasty, SHADOWS IN THE PALACE begins with the death of a maid-in-waiting whohas hung herself within the palace walls. While performing the autopsy, imperial medic Chun-ryung (Park Jin-hee) begins to suspect murder and starts her own investigation into the matter. Standing in her way arethe barren queen and the royal concubine who has mothered a child for the previously heir-less king, amongothers. As she begins to unravel the vast array of deceptions, Chun-ryung is soon confronted by a secretmore powerful than she could have ever imagined.

This is the first feature film directed by Mee-jung Kim, a young woman who served as assistant director on the 2005 Korean blockbuster “King and the Clown.” Notable for her all-female crew, Mee-jung Kim has succeeded in creating a masterfully genre-bending film that combines elements of the historical costumedrama, murder mystery, and even Asian horror genres with a deft touch. Not just a beautiful and wildlyentertaining movie, SHADOWS IN THE PALACE is truly a remarkable film that boldly crosses lines.


112 min. | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Mee-Jung Kim

CAST: Jin-Hee Park, Se-Ah Yun, Jeong-

Eun Lim

SAT Oct 11, 7PMWED Oct 15, 7:15PM

MON Oct 13, 8PMWED Oct 15, 9:55PM

*Mature content

Secret

Shadows in the Palace

Co-presented by: San Diego Multicultural

Asian Professionals



Every day, horrific world events evade justice. SHAME is the story of a courageous woman who fought back. During the summer of 2002, in a remote village of Pakistan, 33-year-old Mukhtaran Mai’s life changed whenthe village’s tribal council sanctioned a punishment against her for a crime allegedly committed by her younger brother. Following the tribal custom of “honor for honor,” Mai was gang-raped and then publicly paradedaround as an example.

Her family cowered in shame. The village shunned her. Normally the only recourse for such a woman wouldbe suicide. Instead, Mai set out to seek justice and shook the very core of Pakistan’s decaying judicial system. In her quest, she endured public scrutiny and exposure to the alien world outside her village, losing friends, family, and her life as she knew it.

Throughout this incredible journey, Mai maintains an astonishing resilience and belief in herself. Journalistsmay visit less frequently, but her work and the work of women like her - is not yet over. There is still plenty of shame to be faced and conquered. -Thom Powers

Pakistan & USA | Farsi w/ English


DIRECTOR: Mohammed Naqvi

PRODUCERS: Mohammed Naqvi, Jill

Schneider

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ahmed Bashir

FEATURES

WED Oct 15, 6:15PM

*Mature Content


Reception immediately following screening hosted by Project Concern International and Gem Foundation

Shame

Co-presented by: Amnesty Group 137,

Friends of Hamid Daudani, Project

Concern International, SDSU Women’s

Resource Center, San Diego Women’s

Film Festival

SLEEPWALKING THROUGH THE MEKONG follows Los Angeles band Dengue Fever on their journey toCambodia to perform 60s and 70s Cambodian rock ‘n’ roll in the country where it was created and verynearly destroyed. The odyssey is a homecoming for singer Chhom Nimol and a transformation for therest of the band as they perform with master musicians and record new songs along the way. More than a rockumentary, the film serves up a portrait of modern Cambodia as the band tours through Phnom Penh and beyond, crossing a great cultural chasm with the same spirit of Cambodia’s original rock pioneers. Itis a celebration of this long-overlooked music and reveals the power of music to weave a common threadbetween extremely different cultures.

Shot in 10 days, the real star of this film is the unique and intoxicating Cambodian music that also healsthe generations of wounds from the brutal reign of the Khmer Rouge. SLEEPWALKING THROUGH THEMEKONG is a testament to the power of this music. It’s no wonder Variety calls this “An engagingly differentrock ‘n’ roll documentary...”

Cambodia & USA| Khmer w/ English


DIRECTOR: John Pirozzi

PRODUCER: John Pirozzi & Josh Otten

CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Pirozzi

MUSIC: Dengue Fever

WED Oct 15, 5:15PM

Sleepwalking in the MekongCo-presented by: UCSD Cambodian

Student Association

Prolific filmmaker Brillante Mendoza premieres his work at the San Diego Asian Film Festival this year with a double-header of FOSTER CHILD and SLINGSHOT, both shot on the streets of Manila in what’s been described as “real time” filmmaking. Though fictional, Mendoza’s impressive skill is to impose a calculated narrative onto Manila’s constant unpredictability, shaping its ground-level chaos into art.

SLINGSHOT opens with a bravura sequence: a nighttime raid on one of Manila’s squatter neighborhoods. The camera chases plainclothes police wielding massive automatic weapons through the narrow laneways as they ransack homes, break in on couples making love, and herd dozens of people out into the open. Only some of them are guilty. But in this neighborhood, stealing puts food in your belly. Some snatch wallets and jewelry, some shoplift, others prefer more intimate forms of thievery.

A showcase of Mendoza’s rapidly maturing abilities with digital cinema, SLINGSHOT also presents the full range of human behavior—especially the ironies of greed and vanity.

The stories climax at a rally where politicians give high-minded speeches to thousands holding candles aloft in the night. But even there, the harsh economics of life on the streets rules the evening. -Adapted by Cameron Bailey

Philippines | Tagalog w/ English subitles | 86 min. | Video | 2007DIRECTOR: Brillante MendozaEXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Ferdinand Lapuz PRODUCER: Renato Esguerra, Antonio del RosarioWRITER: Ralston Joel JoverCINEMATOGRAPHER: Brillante Mendoza, Julius Villanueva, Jeffrey dela Cruz, Gary TriaCAST: Jiro Manio, Kristoffer King, Coco Martin, Nathan Lopez, Jaclyn Jose

FEATURES

THU Oct 16, 7:40PM

*Mature content

*Director & cast scheduled to attend

SLINGSHOT will also screen at the Chula Vista UltraStar (555 Broadway) as part of the Philippine Cinema Showcase October 17-23. For more info: www.philippinecinemashowcase.org

Slingshot (Tirador)

Q&A with Brillante Mendoza, director of Slingshot (Tirador)By Lee Ann Kim

Q: You have a wonderfully, distinctive style as a filmmaker. While watching SLINGSHOT and FOSTER CHILD, sometimes I had to ask myself “is this real life?” How difficult was it to shoot these films in such tight quarters in Manila?

Most of my films are set in real time and in actual locations. That’s why I am able to capture even the heat! We don’t have huge studio lots in the Philippines where sets can be built for particular movies. Besides, an independent filmmaker like me would not have the money to build sets. So what I do is to find the most perfect location for the story I want to tell, then bring the actors there, make them live there or nearby if possible, then shoot the film continuously and chronologically until it

is complete..Making the actors shoot in the actual location of the stories and telling them to hang out in the area as much as they could is what I call “ immersion.” How do I make them hang out in the area when we don’t even have trailers for anyone? If our budget could afford it, we rent a room or a house in the vicinity that could serve as a as resting place for the actors in between takes and in between filming days. That’s actually how my actors practically become the characters they are portraying. And, that’s how dedicated and professional these actors are.

Q: What inspired the stories and characters of SLINGSHOT?

The idea came about not because of fascination with snatchers but more on the desires to discover and learn about other people’s lives and culture that I have never been deeply aware of before. Tirador is a look not only into the life but into the heart, mind

and spirit of the snatchers.

Q: I know your most recent film, “Serbis,” was selected to compete at Cannes. Congratulations!

It was an humbling experience. It’s too good to be true but it happened and I’m extremely happy about it.

Q: You’re an incredibly prolific, cutting edge filmmaker. How do you feel your work fits into the film industry in the Philippines?

At the moment the prevailing attitude of the moviegoing public towards my films is of curiosity. It is perhaps the tragedy of any filmmaker and producers as well to make films that are patronized out of curiosity. We hope that this attitude will be cured.

Meet Brillante Mendoza and his lead actor Coco Martin at the screening of SLINGSHOT (TIRADOR) on Thu, Oct 16 at 8PM.


In Vietnam, legend has it that a person who dies far from home will wander the earth forever until they arecommemorated—until their story is told. THE STORY OF SPIRITS documents Tien Nguyen’s escape fromVietnam with her father and her three siblings while her mother and unborn sister stayed behind followingthe fall of Saigon in 1975.

Thirty years after her disappearance, a mother’s ghost returns, channeled through her husband’s newwife. This sudden appearance however, leads her daughter to question her lifelong belief that her mother abandoned her children. As her questions turn to doubt, the daughter embarks on a journey to shatter yearsof family deception and silence. She traces the path of a woman that she has never known, from their wealthylife in Saigon, to 1975 when the family fled to America without her mother, to her mysterious disappearanceat sea, and finally, to her father’s struggle living with the ghost of his dead wife. Using in-depth interviews withher family in California, Michigan, New Jersey and ultimately Vietnam, she is able to piece together one story, but several conclusions.

USA & Vietnam | English & Vietnamese w/


DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Tien Nguyen

FEATURES

Winner of 4 prizes at the San Sebastian Film Festival, including Best Film and Best Actor

Best known for directing “The Joy Luck Club,” filmmaker Wayne Wang is arguably one of the most prolificAsian American independent filmmakers today. Adapted from a short story written by Chinese émigré, YiyunLi, A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS is among Wang’s latest Asian-themed films that explore the bonds of family and Chinese identity in the modern world.

The story begins with a dignified and quiet Mr. Shi (Henry O), who arrives in Spokane, Washington to visithis divorced daughter, Yilan, whom he has not seen in12 years. Fearful that her father will meddle in the affair of her failed marriage,Yilan finds excuses to leave her father alone in her apartment. In desperation, he begins to visit a local park and befriends an older Iranian woman living with her son. These two lonelysouls communicate perfectly, despite their language barrier. Yilan eventually is forced to face her father, and issurprised by what she discovers.

USA | Farsi & Mandarin w/ English

subtiltes | 83 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Wayne Wang

Writer: Yiyun Li

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Yasushi

Kotani, Taizon Son, Jooick Lee

PRODUCER: Yukie Kito, Rich Cowan,

Wayne Wang

Cinematographer: Patrick Lindenmaier

CAST: Faye Yu, Henry O, Vida Ghremani

SUN Oct 12, 5:20PM

WED Oct 15, 7:30PM

Story of Spirits

A Thousand Years of Good Prayers

Co-presented by: Vietnamese American

Youth Alliance

Co-presented by: Chinese Consolidated

Benevolent Association,

Pan Asian Lawyers of San Diego,

San Diego Chinese Historical Museum


Mario Barth guides the viewer inside the Horitoshi family, masters of the ancient art of Tebori, a traditionalJapanese technique of tattoo that dates back for centuries. The Japanese government has outlawed Teboritattoos due to their underworld ties. For the first time ever, viewers will be able to see the small and secretsociety of the Horitoshi Family, as well as their rich culture, exotic land, the history and mythology of Japanesetattooing.

While in Tokyo, Barth participates in underground festivals, rituals and gets tattooed on camera. Barth hasgained much respect from the Horitoshi family throughout his career and is the only Westerner welcomedto immerse into this highly guarded world, which until now, the average person would have zero access. It isonly through Barth’s accomplishments and stellar reputation that the viewer is given the key to this veiledcommunity.

USA | English | 59 min | Video | 2008

DIRECTOR: Billy Burke

PRODUCER: Billy Burke

CAST: Mario Barth

FEATURES

Water flows through this beautiful Filipino film like the life force it is — pouring down upon or floodinginto the key moments in the lives of two young men who meet as boys in a rural town and end up as maleprostitutes in Manila. Whether it’s the river where they play as boys, the holy water sprayed at a religiousfestival, the filthy water that seeps through the Manila slums, the steaming water in the bathhouses where theyoung men ply their trade, or just the ever-present rain, these guys are always getting wet.

Ken Escudero as Enzo and Wil Sadejas as Adong play the friends as young men. Their lifelong bond seemsbroken when Adong elopes with Melay (Ashley Silverio), leaving Enzo heartbroken and alone in the river, where the two had been happily skinny-dipping until she came along. Enzo soon embarks on a search for hisfriend that takes five years. They finally meet again when they are unwittingly booked as performers in thesame gay sex show. Will the unspoken passion shared by these beautiful young men be forced into the open?

- Frameline

Philippines| Tagalog w/ English subtitles |

109 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR: Roni Bertubin

PRODUCER: Juan Artemio Barron III

WRITER: Romualdo Avellanosa

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Gary Gardoce

CAST: Ken Escudero, Wil Sandejas, Ashley

Silverio, Sylvia Sanchez

WED Oct 15, 5PM

SUN Oct 12, 5:30PM

*Mature content

Under the Skin

Unspoken Passion


Diego and Tijuana


In the year 2067, Japan makes key breakthroughs in robot technology and isolates itself off from the rest of the world. A decade later, the Americans believe Japan is a threat, and send in a special forces unit led byVexille (voiced by Meisa Kuroki) to investigate. After infiltrating Japan’s security, they discover somethingshocking: technology which has managed to blend human tissue with robot engineering, resulting in androidsvirtually indiscernible from real humans. Ambushed and left for dead, Vexille is rescued by local rebel Maria(Yatsuko Matsuyuki) who shares a common desire to take back their humanity and end the cybernetictyranny. Together, they team up with a ragtag crew of insurgents to prevent the rest of the world frommeeting the same sinister fate.

Director Fumihiko Sori’s vivid depiction of dystopian Japan pays homage to “Bladerunner,” even down toits ass-kicking femme fatales. Heavily inspired by “Ghost In The Shell,” “The Matrix,” “Star Wars,” and “RoadWarrior,” VEXVILLE is packed full of jaw-dropping action sequences and eye-popping visuals that rival the bestof Hollywood films. An official selection in prestigious Toronto Int’l Film Festival, Anime Insider calls VEXVILLE“A must see!”

Japan I Japanese w/ English subtitles | 109

min. I Video I 2007

DIRECTOR: Fumihiko Sori

PRODUCER: Toshiaki Nakazawa, Ichirô

Takase, Yumiko Yoshihara

WRITER: Haruka Handa, Fumihiko Sori

CAST: Yasuko Matsuyuki, Meisa Kuroki

FEATURES

Prior to the collapse of French colonial rule in Vietnam, Dau (Trong Anh Ngoc) and Gu (Nguyen KhanhQuoc) are lovers as well as servants from two different households in the picturesque Vietnamese town of Ha Dong. Both have suffered harshly at the hands of their cruel masters and lack the means to get married inthe accepted sense. However, when Gu’s master is assassinated, Dau and Gu flee south and eventually endingup in the central Vietnamese seaside town of Hoi An. There, they raise a family with Dau eventually givingbirth to four girls. Unfortunately, their loving family life becomes threatened when Gu learns how his wife Dauhas been secretly earning money to support their family and as the horrors of the war begin to hit closer tohome.

Considered controversial by some, THE WHITE SILK DRESS was the Vietnamese representative at the 80thAcademy Awards in the Best Foreign Language film category and the winner of the Audience Award at thePusan International Film Festival. A tribute to the strength and heart of Vietnamese women, this evocative andelegant epic film will be sure to leave a lasting impression.

Vietnam | Vietnamese w/English subtitles

| 142 min | 35mm | 2007

DIRECTOR: Huynh Luu

PRODUCER: Huynh Luu, Raymond Lim

WRITER: Huynh Luu

CAST: Trong Anh Ngoc, Nguyen Khanh

Quoc

SAT Oct 11, 9:30PM

SAT Oct 11, 5:20PMWED Oct 22, 8PM (RIVERSIDE)

*Mature content

Vexille

The White Silk Dress


Diego and Tijuana

Co-presented by: SD Viet Meetup Group

SDSU Vietnamese Student Association


In the West, World War II Japanese kamikaze pilots are commonly remembered as a symbol of suicidalfanaticism. In Japan, the kamikaze pilots are held in reverence as patriots for committing the ultimate sacrificein defense of their nation. Few outside of Japan realize that by the spring of 1945, all Japanese combat aircraftwere reassigned to kamikaze missions and that hundreds of kamikaze pilots survived World War II.

When director Risa Morimoto discovered that her late uncle was one these kamikaze pilots who survivedthe war, she was inspired to go to Japan and film interviews with other survivors. Through these interviews, we learn that the desperate Japanese military government, unwilling to face the inevitable defeat, forced youngmen to take on missions with no chance of survival. By blending these extraordinary interviews with rarecombat footage and interviews with American military men who survived kamikaze attacks, WINGS OFDEFEAT pains a very different picture of kamikaze pilots, one that shatters the commonly held mythology.

USA | English Japanese w/ English


DIRECTOR: Risa Morimoto

PRODUCER: Risa Morimoto, Linda

Hoaglund

WRITER: Linda Hoaglund

FEATURES

In 1950’s South Africa, the dawn of apartheid places every detail of life under strict scrutiny. Yet here’s free-spirited Amina (Sheetal Sheth, “Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World”) scandalizing her Indian community. She’s broken all the rules by running a café, a safe haven of laughter, music, and a grey area for those who falloutside the strict black and white rules of the government. Miriam (Lisa Ray, Water), on the other hand, is a doting mother to her children and a demure and subservient wife to her chauvinistic husband, Omar. WhenMiriam meets Amina, their unexpected attraction throws them both off balance. Although Miriam managesto subdue her fascination with Amina, she finds herself slowly inspired to confront familiar and familialconstraints. Shortly after their encounter Miriam moves to an isolated life in the country, but even hereapartheid is placing its cruel footprint on society, and these injustices bring the two women together again, cementing the basis of their growing feelings.

THE WORLD UNSEEN is also a revealing look at a rarely examined community that divides white from black and women from men, but also one that might just allow an unexpected love to survive.

S. Africa | 112 min. | Video | 2007

DIRECTOR/WRITER: Shamim Sarif

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Katherine

Priestly, Lisa Tchenguiz-Imerman

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mike Downie

CAST: Lisa Ray, Sheetal Sheth, Parvin

Dabas, Nandana Sen

TUE Oct 14, 5:30PM

SUN Oct 12, 1PM

*Mature content

*Lead actress Sheetal Sheth scheduled to attend

Wings of Defeat

The World Unseen


Diego and Tijuana

Co-presented by: SDSU Women’s

Resource Center, UCSD Women’s

Center, USD Asian Pacific American Law

Students Association, Qualcomm, Inc.


Ever since the very first Miss Chinatown was crowned in 1958, the titleholder has been a highly recognizableAsian American icon at once admired and reviled. Her dazzling smile, perfumed coif, tight Chinese dress andimpeccable English is the picture of contentment - the perfect blend of East and West, old world continuityand modern sensibilities. Or, what some call, a caricature of the feminine and ethnic ideal, exploited andoutdated.

YOURS TRULY, MISS CHINATOWN goes behind the scenes of the 2003 Los Angeles Miss Chinatownpageant, delving into the lives of two pageant contestants during the pageant and the aftermath. Added to themix is the anti-heroine, a Miss Chinatown imposter who dares to take on the myth, and playfully molds thesymbol to reflect her own coming of age experiences.

Following these women over several years, at a pivotal time in their lives, what emerges are some of therarely heard voices of young Asian American women at the turn of the 21st century.

USA | 60 min. | Video | 2008

DIRECTOR: Daisy Lin Shapiro

PRODUCERS: Aaron Shapiro, John Keitel,

Stephen Liu

FEATURES

SUN Oct 12, 3:30PM


Yours Truly, Miss Chinatown

Co-presented by: Families with Children

from China - San Diego Chapter,

San Diego Mesa College Asian Pacific

American Studies Program Committee,

San Diego Mesa College Women’s Union,

San Diego Mesa College Women’s Study

Advisory Committee, SDSU Alpha Phi

Gamma, San Diego Women’s Film Festival,

UCSD Women’s Center

Barona.com J.D. Power and Associates ranked Barona “Highest in Satisfactionin the Southern California Casino Gaming Experience.”


It’s our right and privilege. What a shame that statistics show Asian Pacific Islanders have the lowest voter registration and lowest voter turnout! WE can change that NOW!

- Register to vote in our lobby or online before October 20

- Come join us for our FREE Reel in the Vote program, October 14, 6PM

- Enjoy our original PSAs Congrats to winner Henry Ahn

- VOTE ON NOVEMBER 4!

REEL IN THE VOTE is supported by grants from the CA Independent Voters Project, Episilon Systems Solutions, Hom Family Foundation, and Zero Divide, as well as marketing support from Katz & Associates


EXECUTIVE DIRECTORLee Ann Kim

ASSOCIATE FOUNDATION DIRECTORMye Hoang

PROGRAM DIRECTORGeorge Lin

MARKETING COORDINATORDaniel Matthews

ARTISTIC PROGRAMMERSMichael ChenSam ChenGene Huh

BUSINESS OPERATIONSJocelyn PakinganMichelle Tubon

ENTRY & TRAFFIC COORDINATORJennifer Lo

VOLUNTEERCOORDINATORSEmil AyoubkhanMegan Lam

COMMUNITYOUTREACHCOORDINATORDuke Tran

GRAPHICS DESIGNMarilyn JonesChristopher LeeDiana MartinezVince Martinez

ONLINE CONTENT COORDINATORRyan Wong

WEBSITESteve LukasVince MartinezBen TingConnie Allen

STREET TEAMDaniel Matthews, CoordinatorRachel AndradaJoseph BalanChristina BuquidKimberly Conocono Mark GadiaPamela HuynhDaniel LewTraci Kanamori

Alexis Zukowski

REEL VOICES COORDINATORMike Watson

REEL VOICES ASSISTANTAkira Chan

REEL VOICES INTERNS Akio MitsunagaRyan MedelAl PappasElle LipsonJoska CharlesMari JacobsonHarrison Tong

SPECIAL EVENTSDennis-Michael BroussardAya IbarraSheila KanoyaKelly LimSophia LukasTerry MatsuokaMonica Moon

PRODUCTION COORDINATORChris Paffendorf

FACILITIES COORDINATORAnthony Noceda

OPERATIONSPhil LuqueMartin Johnson

PROJECTIONISTSTrevor BehanAndi BrandenbergAkira ChanBrook FaleknsteinMye HoangArnold MarquezJon MillerChris PaffendorfJake Zamzow

GUEST SERVICESNick CichonCatherine JaravataJulie KimDiana Martinez

BOX OFFICE& MERCHANDISINGDorian Wicks

FILM FORUMRachel AndradaStephen ChinJohn DacapiasMark Gadia

Gene HuhPamela HuynhMarilyn JonesChris PaffendorfRita QuachTanya ShinDidi TanadjajaDuke TranKen Wade

INTERNSJonathan AbhayClint BaruchMatt Wong

PROGRAM BOOKLET TEAMVince MartinezDiana MartinezSophia LukasMarilyn Jones

WRITERSDr. Craig Reid

PHOTOGRAPHERSJose BucudDaniel K. LewMichael DomingoRodney RegalaReggie RegalaAllan Regala

DOWN LOW TEAMGuilain BwinikaJessica ChangBrian CorpuzDarryl KimEddie KimJinah KimGina Lee

BOARD OF DIRECTORSDan Hom, ChairmanLani Lutar, Vice ChairJaejung Kim, SecretaryYanqun Zhou, TreasurerHenry ChengRay HomAlbert LeeBenjamin LeeEd Lee Joe MendozaSteve PeaceArturo RiveraLouis SongYen TuEddie Wang-RodriguezSarah Yang

FESTIVAL JURYBeth AccomandoRose Kuo

Ham TranChi-Hui YangJeff Yang

PUBLIC RELATIONSAndy HoangKatz& Associates

CPA SERVICESRoger Gordon, CPA

LEGAL REPRESENTATIONMintz Levin

RIVERSIDE TEAMWilliam CaganapFrank HiroyasuDanny KimEsther KimJulie KimMariam LamJudy LeeRosalind SagaraKristin SeilerJoe VirataRodd WingateBryan Ziadie

ASSISTANT TOEXECUTIVE DIRECTORJini Shim

FOUNDATION & FESTIVAL STAFF


AAJA San Diego

ABA San Diego

Jonathan Abhay

Brent Altomare, Groovy Like A Movie

Emlyn Aurelio, NICU

Glenn Barroga

Ferris Bautista

Amy Berry, Cox

Michelle Brega, Bank of America

John Castillo, A-B

Jessica Chang, AAJA SD

Don Chareunsy

Han Chen, Kyocera

John Cho

Yuni Cho

Josh Choi, KCCLA

Diana Chuh

Leeva Chung, USD

Pascal Courtin, Sidney Frank Importing Co.

Matt D’Arrigo

Ranjit Dhindsa

John Ellison, UltraStar

Abe Ferrer, VC

Rosemarie Finone

Fritz Friedman, Sony Pictures

Michele Goodson, FUNimation

Roger Gordon CPA

Joe Gregore, Town & Country

Joon Han, Better SD

Jennifer Hasche, Intuit

Dan Hom, the KING

Gayle Hom

Loretta Hom

Tom Hom

Andy Hoang

Melanie Horn, Qualcomm

Moses Hwang

Aya Ibarra

Daniel Jaimes

Deborah Java

Rebecca Kelley, Office of Ron Roberts

Neil Kendricks

Margaret Kennedy, Town & Country

Danny Kim, UCR

Darryl Kim

Eddie Kim, Pepsi

Jay Kim, Paramount Pictures

Jinah Kim

Julie Kim

Myung Soon Kim

Anderson Le, HIFF

Wyman Lee, DCAPA Film

Mike Lomotan, Planet C

David Magdael

Solly Manalo, L&L

Arnold Marquez

Janine Mason, Fieldstone Foundation

Bryan Min, ESS

Joe Min, Intertrend

Hope Murran, Time Warner

Alex Nath, Town & Country

Dustin Nguyen

Angela Rockwood-Nguyen

Grace Niwa

Ben Ortega, Sansai

Bill Ostrem

Mark Palaganas, Intertrend

Mike Palmer, Stone Brewing

Judy Patacsil, Miramar College

Chris Principio

Reggie Regala

Rodney Regala

Craig Reid

Sharon Rhodes

Angela Rockwood-Nguyen

Damon Rubio, UltraStar

Shirley Sans, AT&T

Dana Sass, Barona

Wally Schlotter

John Skrentny

Jack Song

Louis Song

Samuel Song

Weston Song

Jimmy Tsai

Alan Tse

Ron Tuatagaloa

Felix Tuyay, SWC

Emilio Joe Virata, UCR

Mike Watson

Scott White

Simon Wong

Ditas Yamane

Kelly Yang, SW Airlines

Jeff Yang

Julia Yang

Sarah Yang

Lily Yee, Goldilocks

Tony Young, Councilmember

Su-Mei Yu, Saffron

Timothy Yuen, Burkett & Wong

Rick Zeiler

THANK YOU LIST 2008


6TH AND SANTA FEMike Gunther11333 Moorpark St. #166Studio City, CA [email protected]

200 POUND BEAUTY KM Culture Co., Ltd.3rd Fl., Bojun Bldg.,Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-010 Korea 82 2 3438 [email protected]

364 CRANESVincent Lin990 Avenue of the Americas #20PNew York, NY [email protected]

ABRIDGEDArjun Rihan2620 Van Buren PlLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

ACCURACY OF DEATH Nippon Television NetworkFumiko Nagata 1-6-1 Higashi Shimbashi,Minato-kuTokyo 105-7444 Japan tel: +81-3-6215-3028 fax: [email protected]

AGAINST THE GRAIN Kevin Kolodinsky5150 NE 9th LaneOcala, FL [email protected]

AGAINST THE GRAIN:AN ARTIST’S SURVIVAL GUIDE TO PERUAnn Kaneko12323 Culver Blvd.Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

THE AGENTDavid Kim1159 Magnolia Ave. #1AGardena, CA [email protected]

AIM FOR THE HEART:A GUIDE TO VAMPIRE DEFENSEFernando Huerto10058 Challenger Cir.Spring Valley, CA [email protected]

ALIEN ABDUCTION David Han309-311 East 37th Street, Apt. BWNew York, NY [email protected]

ALWAYS 1 &2Nippon Television NetworkFumiko Nagata 1-6-1 Higashi Shimbashi, Minato-kuTokyo 105-7444 Japan tel: +81-3-6215-3028 fax: [email protected]

AN AMERICAN IN CHINARon Berrett6914 Tujunga AveNorth Hollywood, CA [email protected]

AN IMMIGRANT GIRL’S JOURNEYAlex Marino11316 Ventura BlvdStudio City, CA [email protected]

ANJALIMaya [email protected]

APPLE/BIRD & THE BEE “AGAIN & AGAIN”Dennis Liu730 Columbus AveApt. 14DNew York, NY [email protected]

THE ASIAN ARROWRichard B Quebral1214 N. Gardner St.West Hollywood, CA [email protected]

ASSEMBLYHuayi Brothers PicturesKelly [email protected]

AWKWARD140 Richardson St. Apt. 1Brooklyn, NY 11211 [email protected]

BATTLE OF THE ALBUMCOVERSCurious Pictures440 Lafayette Street, 6th floorNew York, NY 10003 [email protected]

BIG MAN JAPAN Matt CowalMagnolia Pictures 49 West 27th Street, 7th FloorNY, NY 10001(212) 924-6742

BITE MEJason [email protected]

BLOOD DEBTSRoland Nguyen426 S. Occidental Blvd. #3Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

BLACK BELTKlockworkx Miku Kikuchi /International Sales1-6-10 MF Bldg. 4F Ebisu Minami Shibuya-Ku,Tokyo JAPAN, 150-0022tel: +81-35720-7791 fax :+81-35720-7792

BOMBAY SKIESRita [email protected]

BOOKIEBao Tran2010 N 153rd PlShoreline, WA [email protected]

CALIFORNIA KINGEli Kaufman717 Raymond Ave. #6Santa Monica, CA [email protected]

CELEBRATIONVisual Communications120 Judge John Aiso StreetLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

CHILDREN OF THE STARSRob Aspey602. Unit 10, Block 31 Xing Fu Er Cun, Xing Dong LuChaoyang DistrictBeijing, 100027 [email protected]

CHOCOLATESahamongkol FilmsPanu [email protected]

COOKIES FOR SALEWes [email protected] Box 31993Seattle, WA, [email protected] 206-719-6261

A CRICKET IN THE COURT OF AKBARAndrew Mendelson448 W. 19th St., #3FNew York, NY [email protected]

DAMN THE PAST!Juli Kang1317 1/2 N. Stanley Ave.Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

DANCE OF FREE BIRD Korean National University of the ArtsL382-ho, San #1-5Seoul [email protected]

DANCE OF THE DRAGONCalvin Tan442 Orchard Road #02-13Singapore [email protected](65) 67350818(65) 67350812

DEAD MAN’S HOURNathan Kitada5432 Franklin Avenue Apt. 207

PRINT SOURCE


Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

DEAR HEIDIJohn Ferrie2400 Buchanan St. Apt 104San Francisco, CA, 94115U S [email protected] 617-669-9371 (Cell)

DIRTY HANDS: THE ART & CRIMES OF DAVID CHOEHarry Kim1315 S Oxford AveLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

DORORODir: Akihiko ShiotaUniversal Studios Home Entertainment100 Universal City Plaza 1440/06Universal City, CA [email protected]

DRAWING PAPERSunhee [email protected]

A DROP OF LIFEShalini Kantayya221 East 18th Street, #3CBrooklyn, NY [email protected]

EATMitchel Dumlao5161 San Lorenzo Dr.Santa Barbara, CA [email protected]

ESCAPING THE NORMGlenn [email protected]

FAMILY INC.Emily [email protected]

THE FISH FALL IN LOVE Global Films Initiative444 De Haro Street, #124San Francisco, CA [email protected]

FOLLOW THE SIGNSSteve Godwin3121 Via Simpatia

Carlsbad, CA [email protected]

FOLLOW YOUR HEART :CHINA’S NEW YOUTH MOVEMENTDuncan Jepson24th Floor, Winsome House,71-73 Wyndham Street, Central,Hong [email protected]

FOSTER CHILDIgnatius Films Canada1412 Seaview Drive, Mississauga,Ontario, Canada L5J 1X5Tel.: +63 2 747 6742Mobile: +63 916 234 [email protected]

GANDHI AT THE BATStephanie Argy913 1/2 Manzanita StreetLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

GENGHIS KHAN: TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH AND SEA1200 Lakeside Parkway Bldg 1Flower Mound, TX [email protected]

GIVING CARESteven Payne543 45th Street, Suite 2Brooklyn, NY [email protected]

HALF-LIFEGreen Finch Pictures200 West 20th Street #815NY, NY [email protected]

HALLUCIIGoo-Shun Wang339 Lexington Ave Apt# 4RNew York, NY [email protected]

HELLCATSCJ Entertainment1801 Century Park East Suite 1901Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

HOLLYWOOD CHINESEDeep Focus Productions

P.O. Box 39548Los Angeles CA [email protected]

THE HOUSE OF SHARINGHein Seok297 Montgomery St. #3WJersey City, NJ [email protected]

JOSIE’S [email protected]

JUSTEdward Gunawan5593 1/2 Village GreenLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

KALI MASoman ChainaniNo Pressure Productions2790 Broadway, #2New York, NY, [email protected] 917 693 7280 (Day)

KETCHUPWenchung Lu25236 Running Horse Rd.New Hall, CA [email protected]

THE KILLING OF A CHINESE COOKIEJimmy Tsai2100 Sawtelle Blvd. Ste.101Los Angeles, CA, [email protected] 3104798001 (Work)

KISSING COUSINSAmyn Kaderali438 S. Venice Blvd. #1Venice, CA [email protected]

KNEESMinhyun [email protected]

L: CHANGE THE WORLD(See Always 1 & 2)LALALANDRonnarit Lueangwattanakij99-56 63rd. Ave. #2RRego Park, NY [email protected]

LEGEND(see Celebration)

LIGHT MY FIRE (see Dance of Freebird)

LIGHT YEARSRichard Martin24889 Nueva VistaLaguna Niguel, CA [email protected]

THE LITTLE KNAVESarah CampbellPortland, OR [email protected]

LITTLE MANILA: FILIPINOS IN CALIFORNIA’S HEARTLANDMedia Factory2600 Tenth St. Ste. 600Berkely, CA [email protected]

LOOK AGAINJennifer Lin1809 Sacramento StBerkeley, CA [email protected]

LOVERSCarl [email protected]

MAGAZINE GAP ROADNicholas ChinHong [email protected]+852 94041811

MAGICICADA1327 Solera Lane #1Diamond Bar, CA [email protected]

MAMO’S WEEDSAkira Boch1034A Magnolia StreetLos Angeles, CA [email protected]

THE MEANING OF TEAScott [email protected]

MEAT DAYSWen-ming [email protected]@yahoo.com.tw


MISS POPULARITYSharon BradleyVivo Media Art Centre1965 Main St. Vancouver BC V5T [email protected]

MOON LADYSulyn Zan111 Somerville RdRidgewood, NJ [email protected]

THE MOUSE [email protected]

MY FATHERLotte Cinema, Justin Choi1556-4, Seocho-dong, Seocho-guSeoul, 137-873, KOREATel: 822.3470.3596 [email protected]

MY FIRST CRUSHRocky Jo8500 Steller DriveBuilding 7Culver City, CA [email protected]

MYSTIC BALL Black Rice Productions795 Fifth Ave. Suite 1007New York, NY 100211 212 591 [email protected]

NADAL VS. ALIENHyungkee LeeDmc E3-2, Sang-am Dong, Mapo GuDmc R&d Center # 305Seoul, Seoul [email protected]

NEW AGINGJason Wong808 Greenridge DriveLa Canada, CA [email protected]

NI HAO, KAI-LANNick Jr. & NOGGINBrand Marketing1515 BroadwayNY, NY [email protected]

OCEAN OF PEARLSP.O. Box 99411Troy, MI [email protected]

THE OH-MALLEYS IN DADDY’S MY MERCEDESChil Kong2041 N. Vermont Ave #400LA, CA [email protected]

OH SAIGON Nuoc Pictures317 Hicks St., Ste. 8Brooklyn, NY [email protected]

OPEN CITY (see Hellcats)

PASSAGEAngela How1400 N. Gardner Street, #3Los Angeles, CA [email protected]

PASSING [email protected]@flywall.com

A PASSING RAIN 4FL., BaekAk B/D, 135-4Seoul [email protected]

PING PONG PLAYA IFC Films11 PENN PLAZA, 15TH FL.NY, NY [email protected]

PLANET B-BOYVicky WightElephant Eye Films27 W. 20th Street, Suite 607New York, NY [email protected]

PLEASE VOTE FOR MESteps International7 Glynville Terrace GardensCape Town, Western Cape 8001South [email protected]+27 21 465 5805

THE POSSUMChris Choy819 NW 23rd AvePortland OR 97210 [email protected]

THE POSTCARDJosh [email protected]

PREKISSTORIC TIMES

Leo Matsuda5648 BAY ST APT 623Emeryville, CA 94608-2443 [email protected]

PUBLIC ENEMY RETURNS(see Hellcats)

THE RED RACEChao Gan298 Weihai RoadShanghai, 200041 [email protected]

RESIDUESothea Pictures9140 Grammercy Dr, #297San Diego, CA [email protected]

S/HESharon BradleyVIVO Media Art Centre1965 Main St. Vancouver BC V5T [email protected]

SANTA MESALouise Lovegrove7 East 14th StreetApt 726New York, NY [email protected]

SAVE RON JR.Infrastructure [email protected]

SECRET1212 Tower Two, Admirality Ctr040 Hong Kong [email protected]

SEXY GIRL AND CARPENTERDongKeun Lee1472-13. #501, Seochodong, SeochokuSeoul, 137-073South [email protected]

SHADOWS IN THE PALACE(see Hellcats)SHAMEMu-Nan Pictures, LLCJill Schneider631-766-3799930 Second Ave. Suite 4ANY, NY 10005

SHOOTING STAR806 N. HUNTINGTON Blvd.Pomona CA 91768

[email protected]

SLEEPWALKING THROUGH THE MEKONGJorge [email protected]

SMILEJulia Kwan2957 Grant StreetVancouver, BC V5K [email protected]

SLINGSHOT (TIRADOR) (see Foster Child)

SNAP-SHOTSuel [email protected]

SNOW DAY Karen SullivanRingling College of Art And Design2700 N. Tamiami TrailSarasota, FL [email protected]

SOUVENIRS FROM ASIAJoyce Wong2 Rednor Rd.Toronto, ON [email protected]

SPORTS AND DIVERSIONSBum LeePark Ville C, Apt. 201Neung-dong 314-3Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 143-847South [email protected]

THE STATE OF SUNSHINEKathy BarberA3100 University CenterTallahassee, FL [email protected]

THE STORY OF SPIRITSTien [email protected]

SWIMMING MOONNahomi [email protected]

A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD


PRAYERSMagnolia Pictures9100 Wilshire BoulevardBeverly Hills, CA 90212 [email protected]

TIFFINAi Lene Chor5256 N Glenwood Ave. #N1Chicago, IL [email protected]

TIMELESSJeffrey [email protected]

THE TRIDENTAnurag Mehta1510 11th StreetSuite 102 Santa Monica, CA 90401310-699-8094

TRIPLE 8 PALACEAlexander Ku417 Grand Street, D905New York, NY [email protected]

UNDER THE SKINMario Barth15 Van Orden PlHackensack, NJ [email protected]

UNSPOKEN PASSION(see Foster Child)UNTITLEDEdward [email protected]

VEXILLEFUNimation FilmsMichele Goodson1200 Lakeside Parkway Bldg 1Flower Mound, TX [email protected]

WHAT HAPPENED ON THEFOURTH DATEMrinalini Kamath26 Kingston TerracePrinceton, NJ [email protected]

THE WHITE SILK [email protected]

WIANBU – COMFORT WOMANJames Bang20 Newport Pkwy #1903Jersey City, NJ [email protected]

WINGS OF DEFEATRisa Morimoto21 Chittenden Avenue, #4New York, NY [email protected]

THE WOMEN’S KINGDOMGerman Camera Productions LLCBrent Huffman15998 Maricopa HighwayOjai, CA 93023(805) [email protected]

THE WORLD UNSEENAida Kattan330 N. Maple Street, Unit GBurbank, CA [email protected]

YELLOW STICKY NOTESJeff Chiba Stearns2327 Belgo RoadKelowna, AB V1P [email protected]

YOU WILL REMEMBERYasmine Gomez1368 11th AveSan Francisco, CA [email protected]

YOURS TRULY, MISS CHINATOWNDaisy Shapiro11120 Braddock DriveCulver City, CA [email protected]

YOU’VE GOT MALEChris [email protected]

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The Mozarts: All in the Family

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Asian Silk Road

November 14, 17, 18

The Creation: Haydn’s Masterpiece

February 9, 10, 13

Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night’s DreamMarch 6, 9, 10

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HANDEL’SMasterpiece MessiahDecember 12, 13, 14

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3 venues, 3 experiences:

Del Mar Country Club – Rancho Santa Fe

A Big Round of Applause For

Pam Slater-Price Ron Roberts

for your continuous and invaluable support of arts, culture, and diversity in our region.

Our Patrons, Members And Filmmakers Thank You!

Greg Cox

9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival

SPECIAL ALL COFFEE AND TEA BASED DRINKS

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HoursMonday through Friday 6:30–4

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Program Book 2008 Small

Documents

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