Asian American Film Festival

[Jeff Yu :)]

Next week, UC Davis is having an Asian American Film Festival, from May 3-8, Monday through Saturday. Films relating to a different theme in Asian American society will be shown every night, and there will be some guest speakers. The week will end on Saturday with a showcase of UC Davis student films submitted to the Asian American film festival. (I was part of the production of one of the student films, Sheng Ri).

If you're in UC Davis or the neighboring area, definitely go check it out. More information at this website.
http://www.davisaaa.org/film/

[sir_humpslot]

i'm definitely going to check it out. how are the student films produced and by who? are there organizations or classes about asian-american films here @UCD? is it possible to get in contact with some people who're willing to crew for a 35mm asian-american short with festival ambitions?

see you at the movies.

[Jeff Yu :)]

To answer your questions:

1) The films from Mon-Fri are feature length commercial films. The Saturday films are films submitted to the festival by UCD students. The films are produced by people who are interested or enjoy filmmaking, I guess. In our case, the director just liked filmmaking and wanted to make a submission to the festival.

2) I don't know if there's anything as specific as an Asian-American film class, but there are film classes, and Asian American studies classes.

3) As for organizations or places where you could find interested people, there's AAA, the Asian American Association at UCD, (http://www.davisaaa.org), which meets every Wednesday at 8 pm, Wellman 2. I can't tell you too much about it as I've only been to one meeting. There's also the club Filmmaker's Ambition (http://www.fafilms.homestead.com/), which meets Wednesdays 8:30 pm, Young 198. I'm a regular of that club, and if you go and ask around, I'm sure you'll be able to find guys willing to crew for you.

[lethal]

Hmm...wondering if this could get more traffic in A&E or Party Central...probably A&E. Moving.

[Fireblade]

I'm definitely gonna check it out. Nice to inform us all.

[Jeff Yu :)]

Just giving this post a quick bump, since the festival is still going on. Tomorrow shows the documentary on Masters of the Pillow, an Asian American porn film :), Friday features Robot Stories, and Saturday has the student film festival containing submissions from UC Davis students.

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Jeff Yu :)

Just giving this post a quick bump, since the festival is still going on. Tomorrow shows the documentary on Masters of the Pillow, an Asian American porn film :), Friday features Robot Stories, and Saturday has the student film festival containing submissions from UC Davis students.

Shit.. I'm definitely going tomorrow night. Do you have to be a UCD student to be able to attend? Just wondering.

[Jeff Yu :)]

I don't think you need to be a UCD student to attend. I think that walk-in is fine.

[lethal]

Thanks for moving this, Rad.

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by lethalweapon

Thanks for moving this, Rad.

actually i think it was elbert. but you're welcome anyway.

[sir_humpslot]

i'm that idiot at the discussion panel toward the end who made that scene, if you were there and know what i'm talking about. delete this or ban me if you want, but know that with all these free email/user accounts i can create i'm not going anywhere if censorship is the word of the day.


is the yellow man so emasculated to the point that he can't grow a
pair and stand up call out sellouts from WITHIN? why this elephant
in the middle of the room and nobody is willing to tackle the fact
that "the man" can give a few dollars and all these "actors" are
willing to play the hop sings at a circus side show? nothing will
ever change because these racists inside the studio walls know that
for a few dollars yellow men and women are willing to degrade
themselves and there's no repercussion and they can keep on
perpetuating the racism. if it's yellowface then everybody's up in
arms and they can't defend the caricatures, however if it's some
sellout willing to swivel and bang for a few quick ones it's off
limits and so "the man" can keep on doing this because nobody will
talk with one another and say something has to change, instead
yellow folks worry about the next yellow person not stealing his
job. crickey! $250/day for like three days and then nothing in
between for 3 months is not the justification for "making a living"
at the industry. i'm sick of this talk and talk, we all know the
symptomes of racism and can yak all day about it, but when it comes
time to walk the walk will the yellow "actor" ever keep perspective
on the larger picture -- keeping our eyes on the prize?

is the yellow man so emasculated that he can't grow a pair?

[hooligan]

^i kind of agree, but at the same time the william hungs and bruce lees are so pervasive as images in media that although there might be really good actors and entertainers, they still have to struggle a lot to find good roles.

lucy liu can't turn down roles because she's got to eat too. (just playing devil's advocate)

[sir_humpslot]

lucy liu can't turn down roles because she's got to eat too.

fvck that, she's a sellout, plain and simple. with her last charlie's angel movie, she can afford to not ever make another movie if she wanted to. instead what's this apologist and pandering attitude the media groups do? give her a damn award! not every asian face in the media means they deserve some image award.

WHEN WILL EVER THIS INFERIORITY COMPLEX STOP? stop worshipping the white man's media, stop looking for validation from the white man's media. we have the talent and the technical expertise, all we need is the motivation and self-love and pride to generate our own media. you get these apologetic "house negros" thumbing the "field negros" all because they get a little pat on the head and eat leftover scraps. fvck that, man. nothing will ever change if all we do is pandering and kowtow to the system.

there might be really good actors and entertainers, they still have to struggle a lot to find good roles.

you have to think, why aren't people out there supporting their local actors, musicians, writers and artists? there are tons of venues out there for APA talent to be showcased in the local community and somehow all this talk of "AzN PrIdE" means BS because nobody is out there to support them. i konw great asian-american actors here locally, and because the world doesn't want to hear the truth they don't get any bone throne at them. they all work by day and help out locally with the asian community theater. these are real actors, actors who'd give anything to give you that magic moment. yet somehow, the BS and hypocrisy of two-bit "actors" who don't have half of the talent makes their sellout movies and gets pandered by the media organizations for media awards. fvck that, brother.

i wrote the people who organized the damn festival to go out and support local APA theater, and that email was deleted and never forwarded. "all this BS and you needed wings just to stay above it all."


----------------------------------
"spirited away"

Itsumo Nando Demo/Always with Me

Somewhere, a voice calls, in the depths of my heart
May I always be dreaming, the dreams that move my heart

So many tears of sadness, uncountable through and through
I know on the other side of them I'll find you

Everytime we fall down to the ground we look up to the blue sky above
We wake to it's blueness, as for the first time

Though the road is long and lonely and the end far away, out of sight
I can with these two arms embrace the light

As I bid farewell my heart stops, in tenderness I feel
My silent empty body begins to listen to what is real

The wonder of living, the wonder of dying
The wind, town, and flowers, we all dance one unity

Somewhere a voice calls in the depths of my heart
keep dreaming your dreams, don't ever let them part

Why speak of all your sadness or of life's painfull woes
Instead let the same lips sing a gentle song for you

The whispering voice, we never want to forget,
in each passing memory always there to guide you

When a miror has been broken, shattered pieces scattered on the ground
Glimpses of new life, reflected all around

Window of beginning, stillness, new light of the dawn
Let my silent, empty body be filled and reborn

No need to search outside, nor sail across the sea
Cause here shining inside me, it's right here inside me

I've found a brightness, it's always with me

[sir_humpslot]

okay, i've calmed down now. sorry for that rant, just had to get it out there. however, i still say people should go support their local APA theater and music venues rather than look to the mainstream media.

peace out.

[Jeff Yu :)]

@Sir_humpslot: I actually wasn't there on the day where you apparently made that scene, so I don't know about the incident you're referring to, and I can't comment. However, the purpose of this film festival was to showcase cinema created by and featuring Asian Americans, who are misrepresented in mainstream media. By showing little-known films in which Asian Americans portray non-charicaturized roles, and having the community support such films, we are promoting the advancement of Asian American representation in media. If you saw Robot Stories, you'll know what I mean. A well-directed, insightful film written and directed by an Asian American actor, and featuring non-stereotyped, mainstream roles filled in by Asian American actors and actresses.


That said, these are my own opinions, and I'm not actually a member of the Asian American group promoting this film festival.