CAAMFest in Japantown
May 11, 2018
IN TRANSITION
If life truly is a highway, then get ready for a momentary detour. From family tragedy to isolation in a foreign land, IN TRANSITION explores how life’s hurdles are no match for the human spirit and that a green light could be just around the corner.
5:10 pm
Jimami Tofu
Love, food, and a deep connection to place are the savory bites in Ryan’s life. After the disappearance of his wife Yuki, he sets out to find her in her hometown in Okinawa, where he discovers flavors beyond his imagination at her father’s restaurant.
Island Soldier
Warriors for a country that isn’t theirs, soldiers from the Micronesian island of Kosrae lay down their lives for the U.S. military without the benefits of citizenship. Honest and touching, the film tells the story of a community ripped apart by the loss of its members and the people healing it.
5:20 pm
White Rabbit
What does it mean to be an artist? Where is the line between fact and fiction? Comedian Vivian Bang tears down construed norms as a Korean American performance artist who braves odd jobs in an authentic, unapologetic nature to find her place in the world.
7:30 pm
Fiction and Other Realities
Singer-songwriter Big Phony makes his directorial debut with this intimate, semi-biographical musical drama. Bobby, a struggling Korean American singer-songwriter, is suddenly given an opportunity to be a roadie for his best friend’s band on a world tour. Arriving in Seoul, a “land where everyone looks like him,” he ditches the band and searches for meaning in his life.
ULAM: Main Dish
Could it be that Filipino food, the underdog of Asian cuisines, is having its moment at last? In ULAM (main dish in tagalog), Filipino American filmmaker Alexandra Cuerdo tries to answer this question and follows the rise of Filipino food through the experiences of award-winning chefs attempting to move the cuisine to the center of the American table.
7:45 pm
Unlovable
Joy’s addiction to sex and love is her primary compass for self-worth, and thus far it’s led her to rock bottom. UNLOVABLE is a spirited drama filled with comedic moments that traces the ups and downs of Joy’s path toward accepting herself, finding true friendship — and even being a little OK.
Fiction and Other Realities
Singer-songwriter Big Phony makes his directorial debut with this intimate, semi-biographical musical drama. Bobby, a struggling Korean American singer-songwriter, is suddenly given an opportunity to be a roadie for his best friend’s band on a world tour. Arriving in Seoul, a “land where everyone looks like him,” he ditches the band and searches for meaning in his life.
ALTERED STATES
Don’t panic, it’s just a movie … right? The collection of heart-pulsing shorts in ALTERED STATES will be sure to keep you up all night long. From sci-fi to horror to what lurks in between, these filmmakers take genre storytelling to the next level, one fright at a time.
10:00 pm
May 12, 2018
A Little Wisdom
A LITTLE WISDOM director Yuqi Kang brings a mindful eye into the lives of Hopakuli and Chorten — two orphaned brothers living among monks in Lumbini, Nepal. After opening with meditative languid takes, the film turns increasingly disquieting as we watch the boys wrestle with the world armed with little guidance.
A Time to Swim
Mutang Urud straddles two disparate worlds — at once a stay at home dad in Montreal and a warrior for indigenous rights halfway across the globe. Follow Mutang’s tumultuous journey home to Borneo, and explore how the destruction of place affects the communities that once thrived there.
12:00 pm
Jimami Tofu
Love, food, and a deep connection to place are the savory bites in Ryan’s life. After the disappearance of his wife Yuki, he sets out to find her in her hometown in Okinawa, where he discovers flavors beyond his imagination at her father’s restaurant.
Eat a Bowl of Tea
On the cusp of its 30th anniversary, master filmmaker Wayne Wang’s EAT A BOWL OF TEA continues to charm audiences with humor and soul. In this rare director’s cut, Wang’s landmark Asian American feature explores the harsh realities of Chinese immigrants in the 1940s and reminds us of the pioneers and everyday heroes who paved the way for newer generations.
2:30 pm
Anatomy of a Music Video With Warren Fu
Acclaimed music video director Warren Fu takes us behind the camera to discuss his videos, creative challenges, and working with the likes of Daft Punk, The Weeknd, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell, A Tribe Called Quest, and Mark Ronson. Join Fu, a former art director at Lucasfilm, for an engaging discussion.
2:40 pm
I Can, I Will, I Did
Ben, a foster teen who is injured as a result of bullying, finds the meaning of discipline and peace through taekwondo. A compelling narrative of growth, forgiveness, and perseverance. Based on the teachings of Grand Master Ik Jo Kang, who plays a fictionalized version of himself.
3:30 pm
Episodics
A trio of sharp, hilarious and painfully relevant series from creators Chelsea Chang, Douglas Kim and Susane Lee capture everyday moments overflowing with energy, humor and heart. Diverse, polished performances inject fresh talent and ideas while elevating the entire program to new heights. Binge watching never felt so good!
4:30 pm
Nailed It
In 1975, 20 Vietnamese refugee women created a multibillion dollar industry that supports their community to this day. NAILED IT is a captivating exploration of the genesis of how a nail salon ended up in every strip mall – and the survival of a community.
Bitter Melon
BITTER MELON is a tragicomedy from San Francisco filmmaker H.P. Mendoza that follows a family’s attempts to right their wrongs, resulting in the discovery of many unsavory truths. The dark, quirky revenge comedy turns into an exercise in empathy and exploration of family cycles. This is the film's world premiere.
The People's Republic of Desire
Login to a digital universe where hundreds of millions seek social connection and economic success. Follow three Chinese live streamers whose virtual currency of persona and talents can earn them six figures every month, as long as they maintain likes, tips, gifts, and worship from their fellow, plugged-in population.
Disoriented Comedy Show
Who’s ready to laugh? The DISORIENTED COMEDY team: Jenny Yang, D’Lo, and Atsuko Okatsuka are at CAAMFest and taking over Japantown in a not-to-be missed comedy show. This first-ever (mostly) female, Asian American stand-up comedy troupe has performed more than 70 shows since 2012 and will headline CAAMFest’s Saturday night festivities.
Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story
More than a story of baseball, LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY follows the inspiring perseverance of pitcher Chien-Ming Wang as he faces a career-threatening injury and tries to work his way back to Major League Baseball. The heartbreaking yet heartwarming documentary transcends sports by exploring the unconditional support of Wang’s family, friends, and fans around the world.
Disoriented Comedy Show
Who’s ready to laugh? The DISORIENTED COMEDY team: Jenny Yang, D’Lo, and Atsuko Okatsuka are at CAAMFest and taking over Japantown in a not-to-be missed comedy show. This first-ever (mostly) female, Asian American stand-up comedy troupe has performed more than 70 shows since 2012 and will headline CAAMFest’s Saturday night festivities.
Saving Sally
Hopelessly in love with his spunky best friend Sally, Marty draws fantasies in his comics about saving her from the monsters who are her uptight parents and her tool of a boyfriend. Geeky and delightful, Manila is animated into a surreal backdrop in this love story for the teenage soul.
9:30 pm
May 13, 2018
Muslim Youth Voices 3.0
The Muslim Youth Voices Project is a national initiative of the Center for Asian American Media and funded by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art’s Building Bridges Program. Through three summers of workshops, CAAM amplified young people’s expression and celebration of Muslim life by giving them the essential tools to tell their own stories on their own terms. We are thrilled to present the world premiere of short films by produced by youth from Plano, Texas, and Portland, Oregon, from our 2017 summer workshop, our culminating year of the program.
12:00 pm
Half Widow
Inspired by the life of activist Parveena Ahanger, HALF WIDOW is a story of loss and self-actualization amidst the tense backdrop of the Kashmir conflict between China, India, and Pakistan. When Neela’s husband disappears from their home in Srinagar, she goes in search of answers and a means to tell his story.
Go For Broke: An Origin Story
Before the 442nd and 100th infantry became two of the most decorated military units in history, the young Japanese American men faced jarring discrimination at home. GO FOR BROKE: AN ORIGIN STORY provides insight into the inspiring lives of the men who fought to prove themselves to their country.
Minding the Gap
A clear-eyed portrait of masculinity, race, class, and skateboarding in rust-belt America, Bing Liu’s first feature follows three young men through the tumult and trauma of their lives. Tender, unflinching, a compulsive licking of wounds, the film asks — what do men do with their hurt?
1:40 pm
The Registry
For the Japanese Americans who served in World War II, acknowledgment of the vital roles they played has been long delayed. The Registry details the efforts of aging veterans to document the crucial work performed by Japanese American translators in the Pacific theater and the focal point that military service played in their identities.
2:40 pm
Out of State
Trapped in an endless cycle of hardship, Native Hawaiians struggle to find their place after incarceration. The lives of two former inmates move in different directions as one deals with unemployment and the other finds love. Prison is the past, but can these two survive without being sent back?
3:10 pm
Stand Up Man
Exiled in nowhere, Canada, Moses Kim struggles with a life he never expected to have: taking care of a young family, his teenage cousin from Korea, and the failing family restaurant. What he really wants to do is get back to doing stand-up comedy in Toronto. But how?
4:15 pm
STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH SHORTS
This year, CAAM launched its American South Initiative, kicking off with its first-ever regional convening in Durham, North Carolina. The initiative is a year-long effort engaging the Asian American documentary filmmaking community to build an infrastructure connecting social justice and cultural organizations in the American South.
As part of this initiative, STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH SHORTS brings uniquely-curated Asian American voices to the social justice and cultural identity issues lying in the lesser-explored region.
4:30 pm
Origin Story
At 14, Kulap Vilaysack discovered that the man she called father was in fact not. Now a successful actor, director, and podcaster, Kulap embarks on a quest that takes her from Minnesota and the Mekong to disentangle family secrets and the decade-long emotional paralysis that has caused a rift with her mother.
Late Life: The Chien-Ming Wang Story
More than a story of baseball, LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY follows the inspiring perseverance of pitcher Chien-Ming Wang as he faces a career-threatening injury and tries to work his way back to Major League Baseball. The heartbreaking yet heartwarming documentary transcends sports by exploring the unconditional support of Wang’s family, friends, and fans around the world.
MADE YOU A MIXTAPE
Music can soothe the soul but is it powerful enough to change the world? To fix a broken heart? This collection of melodic shorts explores the true potential of music and it’s everlasting power to stimulate and feed our spirits, one beat at a time.
6:40 pm
LIFE, ANIMATED
Whimsy and imagination take hold in LIFE, ANIMATED. Featuring San Francisco daydreamers, burgeoning cosplayers and the world’s biggest fan of strawberries, life gets a bit of a twist — and much more interesting — with just a touch of animation.
8:40 pm
Dead Pigs
The lives of five eccentric social climbers dance and then collide, while a bevy of mysterious pig corpses float lazily towards Shanghai in director Cathy Yan's offbeat and effervescent debut film. With a dazzling ensemble cast and quirky arthouse appeal, DEAD PIGS is a sharply observed portrait of rapidly-changing China.
TOYKO BEATS
In a society where conformity is the norm, it is never easy to break the mold. TOKYO BEATS spins out three shorts that illustrate the difficulties of “making it big” in Tokyo and the hurdles that people must overcome to pursue the things that they love.
9:15 pm
May 14, 2018
Go For Broke: An Origin Story
Before the 442nd and 100th infantry became two of the most decorated military units in history, the young Japanese American men faced jarring discrimination at home. GO FOR BROKE: AN ORIGIN STORY provides insight into the inspiring lives of the men who fought to prove themselves to their country.
FIGHTERS & DREAMERS
What would life be without fighters and dreamers? Dedicated to everyday heroes, this inspirational program honors those who stand up for their rights, protest in the streets, and fight passionately for social equity. These powerful portraits celebrate the enduring spirit of our diverse communities.
6:40 pm
Come Drink With Me
In the film that revolutionized the wuxia genre, a gang of bandits battle against a mysterious swordswoman, Golden Swallow, while a drunken master combats his long time foe. With poisoned darts and slicing bloodshed, COME DRINK WITH ME set the stage for the dance-like martial arts choreography we know today.
9:00 pm
20 Weeks
Expecting parents Maya and Ronan are forced to confront the unknown as they discover their unborn child’s serious health condition in a 20-week scan. Inspired by a true story, 20 WEEKS follows the couple as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy and the impact it has on their perceptions of parenthood and their relationship.
9:10 pm
May 15, 2018
Meditation Park
When Maria finds out her husband has been having an affair, she breaks out of her shell, making friends with the local park ladies and silent disco dancing on the grass. MEDITATION PARK, is a light-hearted film filled with humor, self-love, and liberation, starring the legendary Pei-Pei Cheng (CAAMFest 2018’s Spotlight Honoree), Sandra Oh, and Tzi Ma.
6:00 pm
Memories to Light: Asian American Home Movies
We are excited to present a program of short films by three talented local media makers, each showcasing a unique approach to using the home movie footage digitized for CAAM’s Memories to Light: Asian American home movies project.
7:10 pm
OUT/HERE
Celebrating a new wave of provocative voices, this year’s OUT/HERE takes a trip around the globe. From a cemetery in Daly City, to the streets of Pakistan, this collection of portraits gives you snapshots of daily life from the diverse LGBTQ commmunity.
8:50 pm
Golden Swallow
Continuing the saga of Golden Swallow from COME DRINK WITH ME, Chang Cheh centers this sequel upon a love triangle with a cutthroat philosophical dilemma. As Golden Swallow trains peacefully with Iron Whip, her old beau, Silver Roc, impersonates her while killing evil gangsters to get her attention.
9:00 pm
May 16, 2018
WOMEN ON THE RISE: SOUTH KOREAN CINEMA
Women filmmakers are not just on the rise in Hollywood, they’re changing the cinema landscape all around the globe. Join us as we celebrate three emerging filmmakers who are bringing bold new stories to the big screen and watch a refreshing take on South Korea cinema.
6:30 pm
She, Who Can See
SHE, WHO CAN SEE, a riveting new dance film by acclaimed choreographer and stage director Alleluia Panis is at the core of this uniquely San Francisco event. Part film screening and part live performance, this one of a kind program is a love letter to the vibrant, Bay Area Filipino American community and culture.
7:00 pm
Half Widow
Inspired by the life of activist Parveena Ahanger, HALF WIDOW is a story of loss and self-actualization amidst the tense backdrop of the Kashmir conflict between China, India, and Pakistan. When Neela’s husband disappears from their home in Srinagar, she goes in search of answers and a means to tell his story.
May 17, 2018
Drawn Together
What comes to mind when you think of a superhero? In this new documentary, a trio of comics creators from diverse backgrounds work to make a mark with stories featuring women and people of color in an industry that is often hesitant to embrace change.
7:00 pm
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