9500 Liberty

How do we know if someone is undocumented? Do we judge based on the way they speak? Or the way they look? Should we make assumptions based on where the country they have immigrated from? In Prince William County, Virginia, these very questions were the center of a heated debate on immigration and racial profiling when a law passed, allowing police offers to question anybody if there was “probable cause” to suspect them as an illegal immigrant. 9500 Liberty provides a front row seat to the battlegrounds of immigration rights. The film takes to Virginia’s local government chamber and its streets in order to explore the myriad opinions included in this hot topic.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Annabel Park will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

The Arrival

As a humble person that lives a colorless life, Leo is a single man that works at a small company. Quite and insipid, he has very little significance around his friends and family. For a long time, even when he has been exploited by his friends and boss, he sucks it up and remains silent. There is only one thing that adds a little happiness to his dull life. Every night as he sleeps, Leo dreams of a beautiful woman coming out of a house and welcomes him with a tender kiss. One day, he finally decides to embark upon a journey, looking for the house and woman he long dreams of.

At The End of Daybreak

Director Yuhang Ho doesn’t shy away from truths that others might find difficult to accept. In this disturbing and startling film, Tuck Chai, an aimless 23 year old, courts Ying, a reckless high school student. They see each other as temporary distractions from the imposition of expectations, responsibilities, and their respective futures. However, when Ying’s parents find out about their fling, they threaten Tuck Chai and his mother with prosecution for statutory rape unless they pay up—the respite of young love ends in recrimination, anger, and violence. Yuhang Ho captures the complexity of familial entanglements, the consequences of corporal punishment, and the lack of class mobility through a kinetic lens that masterfully flows from heart-wrenching close-ups to sweeping action sequences.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Au Revoir Taipei

Developed from his short film Mei, Bay Area-bred Arvin Chen’s feature debut explores Taipei at night. The film follows the lovelorn Kai (Jack Yao), recently dumped by his girlfriend Faye, who has left for Paris. Devastated, Kai parks himself on the floor of a local bookstore to learn French on the cheap. There he meets Susie (Amber Kuo), the shopkeeper who expresses an interest in the brokenhearted boy.

Enticed by the idea of surprising his ex in Paris, Kai takes out a loan from a retiring gangster, Bao (Frankie Gao), who in return asks Kai to retrieve a unexplained package. But only if it were that easy. Bao’s gangster wannabe nephew, Hong (Lawrence Ko), cooks up a haphazard scheme to intercept the package, unaware that the police already have their eyes on the entire operation, thus sending Kai and Susie in an adventure through the cityscape of Taipei.

As a second generation Asian American making films in Asia, Arvin romanticizes this distant city for the pleasure of the audience, resulting in a fantasy-esque romantic comedy that is bubbling with cuteness.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Fog

The sense of deep distraught and helplessness is intimately documented in Fog. Crafted with many instances of long-takes in this minimalist portrait is about one man’s existential quest to retrieve his lost memories after an unexplained accident. As he tries to piece together his past through photographs, conversations, and visits to his old school and the library, little did he realize the missing link to understanding life’s mystery is not the memories but the daughter he barely knows.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Kit Hui and cinematographer Eric Lin will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

In The Matter of Cha Jung Hee

When Deann Borshay Liem was adopted from Korea in 1966, she arrived in America as Cha Jung Hee when in fact, she was not. In this intricately crafted documentary, Liem unravels a lifetime lived in the guise of another’s identity. After 40 years of wondering, Liem embarks on a journey to finally uncover the mystery of Cha Jung Hee: What happened to this young girl, and how did Liem come to inherit her fate? Liem navigates through South Korea’s bureaucracy to uncover the truth of Cha Jung Hee’s identity and future. Her journey to Korea offers profound insight into the legacy of the Korean War, the Korean diaspora, and the institutionalization of the nation’s adoption programs. A stunning mystery not to be missed.

Preceded by Memory of Forgotten War, dir. Deann Borshay Liem & Ramsay Liem, part of Untold Stories

Director Deann Borshay Liem will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Lt. Watada

In 2006, Lt. Ehren Watada risks a successful career as a military officer when he refuses his orders to deploy to Iraq. Watada takes his defiance a step further when he becomes the first commissioned military officer to speak publicly on his refusal for deployment and to challenge the Presidential war policy in Iraq. Though Watada must face court martial, the possibility of up to eight years in prison, and the wrath of the public, he continues to defend his belief that the war in Iraq is in fact illegal and a violation of his oath. This riveting and suspenseful documentary follows the lonely, courageous, and ultimately redemptive journey of one man who tries in the midst of daunting opposition to do the right thing.

Preceded by Unrest dir. Christina Rubenstein, part of Oh Family, Where Art Thou?

Manila Skies

Award-winning Filmmaker Raymond Red is no stranger to international audiences. He was the first Filipino to have won the Palme d’Or in Cannes for his 2000 short film, Anino. In Manila Skies we follow Raul (Raul Arellano), a struggling day laborer who tries to cobble together some money for a trip back to his childhood home in Romblon, where he hopes to help his ailing father. Raul’s attempts to secure a more lucrative job abroad are stymied by Manila’s suffocating bureaucracy. Tired of depending on others, Raul finally decides to strangle fate by virtue of his own calloused hands. He joins his drinking buddies in an ill-fated plan to steal from a disreputable businessman. After a disastrous turn of events, Raul ends up using a gun and grenade to return to the innocence he longs for. With guerilla-style framing that emotes claustrophobia and anxiety, Red propels us through the grime and heat of the city and never lets up. Inspired by true events.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Raymond Red will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Mao’s Last Dancer

Based on the autobiography of Cunxin Li and brought to screen by critically acclaimed director Bruce Beresford. Mao’s Last Dancer follows the life of Li, growing up in a poor rural village in China. Li was picked to attend Madam Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy. After rigorous training, Li becomes one of the school’s top dancers. He is given the chance to come to America for cultural exchange in 1979. Enthralled with America, its freedom, materialism and women. Li caused a stir when he refused to return to China. Li remained as principle dancer at the Houston Ballet before moving to Melbourne. This is the story of a man’s passion for ballet and artistic freedom against political ideology and restrictions.

Click here to watch the trailer!

The Mikado Project

Angry Buddha Theater Company, headed by Lance Liu (Allen Liu), finds itself in trouble after the company’s star actor, Jace (David Lee McInnis) departs. Faced with an eviction notice, financial issues, technical failures, and a chaotic cast he finds that saving this small theater may be more than he can handle. Desperately in need of a hit show, Liu re-appropriates The Mikado. Grappling with an eclectic mix of actors and actresses, will Liu manage pull off a successful production?

Preceded by AGR dir. Jason S. Nou, part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Chil Kong and writer/actress Erin Quill will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Miss Kicki

First time feature director Håkon Liu’s delightful comedic romp follows a middle-aged Swedish woman during her misadventures through Taipei. Along for the ride is her estranged teenage son, who is under the false impression that his frivolous mother means to bond with him during the trip. In fact, his mother remains oblivious to her shy son’s expectations and spends most of her time trying to run into her Taiwanese lover. At turns hilarious and poignant, delightful chaos ensues as the pair navigate the strange city and encounter Taipei’s colorful characters. This unexpected story narrates the coming-of-age of both mother and son, all the while paying tribute to Taiwan’s intriguing capital city.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Håkon Liu will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Mountain Thief

In the depths of the biggest dumpsite in the Philippines lies the small yet mighty village of Little Hope, where the residents make a living by collecting recyclable items such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles and glass in exchange for a few measly cents. Julio, with his young, sickly son Ingo, decides to seek refuge from the war in Mindanao within the mountains of trash. Here he faces territorial battles, the true desperation of the scavengers, a murder accusation and the severity of his son’s sickness. Despite the horrific living conditions and extreme poverty, the strong willed people of Little Hope survive on love and determination to follow their dreams. Shot in Payatas Philippines, filmmaker Gerry Balasta takes independent cinema to a whole new level by casting the actual resident scavengers of the infamous dumpsite, giving the audience an eye-opening dose of reality.

Preceded by Letters from Alaska dir. Ang Roberto Reyes, part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Gerry Balasta and producer Douglas Morse will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Other Nature

Nepal, a nascent republic, has passed laws that protect sexual minorities and allow for same-sex marriage. The government has even taken the initiative to create a new term that recognizes trans-gendered people as a “third gender”. No action, however, has been taken to implement the new laws. A rare insight into the LGBT community in Nepal.

Preceded by Gareeb Nawaz’s Taxi dir. Ritesh Batra, part of The First Kiss

Click here to watch the trailer!

The People I’ve Slept With

“A slut is just a woman with the morals of a man.” And so begins the story of Angela (Karin Anna Cheung), a woman with a heightened sexual appetite who suddenly finds herself pregnant with five possible candidates for the father.  With the help of her ridiculous but well- intentioned best friend, Gabriel (Wilson Cruz), and her “postcards,” a collection of pictures of every man she has ever slept with, Angela searches for both her baby daddy and the elusive Mr. Right.  Could the father be “5-Second guy”?  How about “Mr. Hottie”? Maybe “Nice-But-Boring Guy” (Randall Park)?  Or hopefully “Mystery Guy” (Archie Kao)?

Under pressure from her perfect older sister, Juliet (Lynn Chen) Angela secretly plans a wedding with hopes that if she plans it, he, whoever he is, will come.   Her father (James Shigeta) certainly has his doubts about her plans and encourages his youngest daughter to follow her heart more and her head less.  Angela’s hilariously bittersweet journey reveals that though she may have made some mistakes and more than her fair share of poor choices, no one can say that she did not follow her heart.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Quentin Lee and actress Karin Anna Cheung will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Raspberry Magic

Despite his far from ideal circumstances, Manoj dreams of creating educational games for children. His wife, meanwhile, hopes to publish her own recipes. Their 11-year-old daughter, Monica, also strives for prizes in a science fair. But after a series of unfortunate events, the family finds themselves in a disheartening situation: Monica’s science project is ruined, and her parents are suddenly unemployed. Monica has no other choice but to rise to the occasion: she takes care of her younger sister, cleans up the mess in the house, and faces the harrowing possibility that her family may be torn apart. This bittersweet film explores one family’s resilience through through seemingly insurmountable circumstances as they strive to make their way to the American Dream.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Leena Pendharkar, producer Megha Kadakia and actor Maulik Pancholy will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Running Turtle

Korean superstar Yun-seok Kim stars in another action thriller, this time as laid-back countryside detective, Pil-seong, who embarks on a wild chase after Gi-tae (Kyeong-ho Jeong), an infamous assassin who has recently escaped from prison, steals his winnings from a bullfight match. Can Pil-seong get his money back and protect his family from harm?

Click here to watch the trailer!

She, A Chinese

She, Mei Li (Lu Huang), a twenty-year old woman living in the countryside of mainland China, has never been five miles away from her small village in her life. Her mom thought Mei should go in for farming just as she did and marry a city guy who is bald and boring but has a promising future. Rebelling against her mom, she pursues her dreams of love and a life in “the West” through a series of relationships with men in the hopes of escaping her rural Chinese surroundings. Her journey leads her to London where she finally discovers her life in “the West” is just as tough as her past life in “the East.” All she can do is face her life fearlessly.

Directed by Xiaolu Guo, a London-based Chinese writer and filmmaker, She, a Chinese is also adapted from her novel A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary For Lovers, which was nominated for the ‘Orange Prize’ for fiction in 2007. Inspired by her experience living in the west, Xiaolu Guo puts a common Chinese girl’s youth into a globalized background, showing us how she (or should I say Chinese ) can find her cultural identity after many detours.

Slice

Three mutilated bodies, three red suitcases, three seemingly unrelated victims and one mysterious red-hooded figure. No piece of the puzzle seems to connect for Papa Chin, the cop-by-day, thug-by-night policeman assigned to the perplexing and grisly case. That is until he learns of Tai, a convict who might have a relationship to the killer. Papa Chin, compelled to find the murderer by his superiors, releases Tai and sends him back to his hometown to uncover the killer’s identity. Motivated to redeem himself and be reunited with his fiancé Noi, Tai slowly reveals the mystery of the killer, only to unearth an explosive secret that proves no one can run from their past.

The Things We Carry

Sisters Emmie and Eve are set apart as much by their wildly different personalities as they are by their relationships to their drug-addict mother. After enduring a tumultuous life dictated by the fallout of substance abuse, Emmie embarks on a series of travels through Southeast Asia, leaving Eve alone to tend to their mother. Emmie only returns home when she receives a letter revealing that her deceased mother has left something for her daughter. As she takes off on a journey in search of her inheritance, Emmie is unexpectedly joined by her sister Eve. The sisters find themselves returning to the place they once called home. As they recall their mother and their past, the two sisters begin to uncover what it is that drove them apart and what it is that can bring them together.

Preceded by Receiver dir. Gina Chun, part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition

Click here to watch the trailer!

Producer Athena Lobit and writer/actress Alyssa Lobit will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.
Moderated by actress Di Quon.

Wo Ai Ni Mommy

The opening screen titles let us know that since China began its international adoption program, over 70,000 children have been sent to live in American homes. In this bird’s eye documentary we follow one family, the Sadowskys, as they bring home a second orphan from Guangzhou, China to Long Island, New York. Fang Sui Yong, a precocious and head-strong eight year old is forced to acclimate quickly to her new life as Faith Sadowsky. As she is older and very attached to her foster parents and sister, the transition is unbearable at times and Faith openly ponders why a white family would want to take someone from China into their home—a hard question for everyone with no easy answers. There are also moments of levity and true connection as Faith moves further away from her former life, begins to show affection and makes new friends. Director Stephanie Wang-Breal follows the family for nearly two years and becomes an active participant in the unfolding story. She manages to broach a very sensitive topic with tenderness and an appreciation for the steep learning curve of both parents and children as a new family comes into being.

Preceded by Turn of the Harvest dir. Tani Ikeda, part of Untold Stories

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Stephanie Wang-Breal and subject Donna Sadowsky will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Woman on Fire Looks for Water

Ah Fei and his father Ah Kau are both deeply in love. While Fei openly expresses his desire to marry Lili, Ah Kau finds himself enamoured with Ai Ling, an older woman whom he has quietly pursued for the better part of his life. A subtle film that doesn’t mince words, the father son pair navigate the world of love and its disappointments.

Yang Yang

Though Yang Yang’s Eurasian appearance is envied and admired, she finds her mixed ethnicity a source of confusion and insecurity. Her difference constantly reminds her that she has meets the French father from whose looks she has inherited. Her father’s absence causes Yang Yang to crave for love and to feel obliged to fulfill other people’s expectations. While she learns to receive love and establish a stronger sense of self-identity, Yang Yang inevitably also learns to deal with disappointment and pain. When Yang Yang’s mother remarries her coach, the dream of having a father appears to have finally come true. But a love triangle and deep-rooted betrayal risks her mother’s happiness and compels Yang Yang to leave home. With the help of her manager, Yang Yang seeks to start a new life as an actress. In a twist of irony, Yang Yang is asked to play French roles and learn French. Expertly filmed, Yang Yang invites audiences to follow the subtle emotions of its characters as they discover a way out of an unwanted life.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Zoom Hunting

How close is too close? When Photographer Ruyi accidentally captures a couple in a passionate embrace on her camera, she uncovers an illicit affair. She immediately informs her sister, Ruxing, who scolds her younger sister for her inappropriate voyeurism. Despite her sister’s disapproval, Ruyi continues to probe into the couple’s lives, even using them as inspirations for her own photo shoots. Her investigation leads her to discover that none other than her sister Ruxing also harbors an interest in the couple and their trysts. When confronted, Ruxing explains that her interest is purely professional, claiming that the couple’s affair has helped her overcome her writer’s block. Ruyi reluctantly accepts the explanation until one day the affair provokes an explosive sseries of events, setting off a chain of events that will reveal more than either sister expected.

Click here to watch the trailer!

Director Li Cho, producer Ju-Feng Yeh and actress Michelle Krusiec will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

15 Malaysia

This program features fifteen short narratives that explore all things Malaysian. What best describes the rich diverse cultures in this country other than its traditional dish called the “Rojak”? How about a light-hearted and satirical guide to bribery and political corruption? Uncensored and bold, the fifteen filmmakers featured in this collection speak out on the societal taboos of sex, race, religion and politics.

Included Shorts:

Potong Saga, dir. Ho Yuhang

Chocolate, dir. Yasmin Ahmad

The Tree, dir. Amir Muhammad

House, dir. Linus Chung

Halal, dir. Liew Seng Tat

The Son, dir. Desmond Ng

Lumpur, dir. Kamal Sabran

One Future, dir. Tan Chui Mui

Slovak Sling, dir. Woo Ming Jin

Gerhana, dir. James Lee

Meter, dir. Benji and Bahir

Duit Kecil, dir. Johan John

Healthy Paranoia, dir. Khairil Bahar

Lollipop, dir. Nam Ron

Rojak!, dir. Suleiman Brothers

AGR

Asian Glow Reduction is a revolutionary new feature in digital cameras created to reduce the redness and glowing in pictures of Asians imbibing. A.G.R. is a must have for a night of partying. Look at the difference!  Preceding The Mikado Project and part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition.

Director Jason S. Nou will be in attendance.

Antithesis

In a restless city, a grieving widower and a disturbed young girl arrange to meet via online chat room. The two strangers find comfort in each other and make the pact of a lifetime.

Director Jon-Carlos Evans will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Back to the Future

Brace yourself for the ultimate travel experience through time. This series of short films dabbles with the idea of how time shapes the course of our lives. The ambitious filmmakers included in this program show us that time is a force that cannot be taken for granted. While FISH IN BARREL pushes the visual and narrative boundaries with beautiful, extreme slow motion camera work, MEMENTO MORI puts an unexpected twist on the linear narrative.

Included Shorts:

Fish in Barrel, dir. Randall Okida

Boond, dir. Abhishek Pathak

Once More, dir. Hiroo Takaoka

Mr. Green, dir. Greg Pak

Memento Mori, dir. Yohko Shiraishi

Transparent Movement, dir. Soyeon Kim

Ball

The filmmaker of BALL uses the bounces and curves of a green ball to analogize human life. As human beings struggle and bounce back from whatever is thrown its way, the ball too symbolize the tenacity and vitality of life.

Beauty and the Box

In this film’s fantasy world, people’s actions are dictated by a mysterious black box. Our heroine, Loreal, is subject to the box’s forces until her black box suddenly breaks down. Compelled to find a replacement, she ventures out to the desolate rail tracks, where she is transported to a parallel universe. Her transgression makes the two worlds collide, and it is up to Loreal to make it right.

Behold the Swelling Scene

Brice is a young struggling actor trying to find work in an industry that has stereotyped and typecast light-skinned Black males as players. Not only has that image limited his success in finding work, but it affects his personal life too. Brice finds that in order to find true love and a successful career, he must break the stereotypes that hold him back.

Producer Arckii Munjong Kim will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Boond

In this thought-provoking short film, villagers violently battle each other for a drop of sweet drinking water. So desperate is their greed that they are willing to sell their food, their property — and even kill — to acquire the precious resource. The owners of the village’s well, a widow and her an eight-year-old boy, must guard their treasure from this covetous mob.

Born Sweet

“Some people are born salty,” says Vinh, “but I was born sweet.” In the small Cambodian village where 15-year-old Vinh was born, being sweet is tantamount to suffering the disease caused by the ubiquitous arsenic that has poisoned the village wells. Despite his incurable condition, Vinh uses his love for singing to offer hope to others who share his plight.

Boundary

A dancer and an actress share the screen and their craft as they struggle to explore boundaries of love, anger and pain to reach a deeper understanding of themselves. BOUNDARY is told through a surreal style of sound and visuals.

Director Pyeunghun Bail will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Chinese Antique

Andy is destined for an unproductive and boring summer when his friends leave town for vacation. That is until his mom pulls him away from his video games and finds him a job at a Chinese antique store. Though reluctant at first, Andy and shop owner, Kuo, form an unlikely friendship.

Producer Anthony Ma will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

CUNY Shorts

AAIFF10 teams up with returning collaborator Asian American / Asian Research Institute of the City University of New York (CUNY) to showcase a range of narrative, documentary and experimental short films from students in CUNY system. Covering a range of relevant social issues from undocumented students to personal stories of self-discovery, this selection of films highlights the best offerings from CUNY students.

Included Shorts:

Antithesis, dir. Jon-Carlos Evans

Behold the Swelling Scene, dir. April Baskin

Boundary, dir. Pyeunghun Baik

Ball, dir. Jung Eun Kim

Nurturing the Hybrid Identity, dir. Sudip Shakya

Struggle for Existence, dir. Laurie Sumiye (Filiak)

Undocumented Hope, dir. Tanvir Toy

Daughters

In the rural Chinese village where Maple lives, her gender leaves her feeling disempowered and undervalued. With the impending birth of her cousin, Maple discovers that neither her parents nor her relatives can afford to keep her. Maple faces the impossible moral dilemma of having to choose between sacrificing her own happiness or the life of her own flesh and blood.

Director Chloe Zhao will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Dream Walker

After long working hours, Kao finally hits on subway home. Wandering in the late-night city, people seem to sleepwalk in a fantastic world, where a princess and a walking teapot will reveal themselves up front. The director uses illusory color and fairy-tale elements to depict a dream-like adventure in Taipei City.

Empire Corner

Wu delivers Chinese food. One day during a routine delivery, he meets a beautiful young woman. From her apartment window, the young woman witnesses a neighbourhood gang attack Wu. After his sudden disappearance, a citywide search ensues. Everyone wants to know: what happened to Wu?

Director JP Chan will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Eye on Taiwan

Taiwan, one of the top ten most densely populated islands in the world, teems with a dynamic society and culture. In this series of Taiwanese films, young up-and-coming filmmakers urge audiences to consider a range of social and political issues. Amidst rapid economic and social development, these films explore the plights of the elderly, foreign laborers, and struggling farmers. They also examine the struggles of Taiwan’s youth as they attempt to reconcile burdens imposed by a demanding society with their hopes for a brighter future.

Included Shorts:

Happy Ending, dir. Wei Chen Chang

Sleeping With Her, dir. Chih Yi Wen

Letting Off, dir. Hung Ju Chang

Ketchup, dir. Wen Chung Lu

Father and Sister

A playful musical animation toys with ideas and expectations regarding church-appropriate behavior.

Fine Threads

Three young women of Indian heritage come of age in Queens, New York. Using hair as a common motif, the subjects of this documentary consider what aspects of their identities are inherited and what aspects they feel empowered to change.

Director Adele Pham will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

The First Kiss

The myth of the first kiss rarely accounts for the complexities of love triangles, missed connections, and unrequited love. Everyone has a stake in the vagaries of the heart as we look for meaning in passing glances, cryptic phone calls, and flirtations gone awry. This collection of shorts explores the most prevalent theme in storytelling—one of the certainties in life besides death and taxes, love is never easy!

Included Shorts:

Lovers, dir. Do-yeon Kim

The Queen, dir. Christina Choe

Gareeb Nawaz’s Taxi, dir. Ritesh Batra

Tall Enough, dir. Barry Jekins

Works of Art, dir. Andrew Pang

Poi Dogs, dir. Joel Moffett

Fish in Barrel

Rather than words, FISH IN BARREL relies exclusively on images to express one man’s loneliness which is captured in a gorgeously rendered sequence of images. Filmmaker Okita uses extreme slow motion and abstract visuals to convey the emotions underlying a moment.

For Youth by Youth

From coast to coast and all the states in between, young filmmakers under the age of 21 experiment with film to  sound off on matters important to them. In a range of genres including documentary and fantasy, this talented group of individuals defy tradition and break stereotypes to communicate stories that are at once personal and topical. From a girl’s realization of her sexual orientation to an exploration of media’s impact on its audience, these emerging filmmakers bravely and boldly express their distinct points of view.

Included Shorts:

Beauty and the Box, dir. Jennifer Macchiarelli

I’m Not Even That, dir. Michelle Kwong, Claudia von Nostitz, Aastha Vohra, and Wendy Yuan Zhang

Not That Different, dir. Junia Zhang

Skye, dir. Yoomi Park

Chinese Antique, dir. Ryo Shiina and Bassem Wahbi

The Prodigy, dir. Adam Lee

White Night, dir. Teresa Lee

My New York, dir. Derek Horton

Gareeb Nawaz’s Taxi

The taxi is a vehicle for fateful encounters. In New York City it is a portal to a hazy underworld of seedy clubs, make-believe, and temptation. Gareeb is a taxi driver who hasn’t traveled anywhere in a long time—he is stuck in neutral. However, when a drag queen brusquely enters his taxi, a journey of discovery begins.

Producer Alan Chan will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Happy Ending

When Rick finds his sick father unconscious on the floor, he accidentally uncovers his father’s secret illicit affair with a young girl. And so begins the process of Rick coming to terms with the pain and emotions that have haunted his father during the last moments of his life.

Hide and Seek

A young girl hides away in a colorful cardboard playhouse in the back of her parents’ ramen shop. She witnesses her mother’s departure without realizing the totality of this desertion. In this bittersweet film, a child is torn between having to face the reality of abandonment or playing hide and seek forever.

Director Asako Ushio will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

The Hirosaki Players

An aging actor has fallen from his glory days as a well-known samurai film star. He cannot remember his lines but refuses to admit it. Meanwhile, a director desperate to achieve acclaim overseas and escape his father’s shadow is on the brink of losing his lead and his entire production.  Can this unlikely pair find in each other an opportunity for redemption?

Director Jeff Sousa will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

I’m Not Even That

What are you thinking when you look at me? Teenagers in this documentary interview scholars, media makers, and their peers on the subject of racial profiling and stereotypes. They speak out about the perpetuation of stereotypes in media and share personal experiences in hopes of a moving towards a society that finally sees beyond the color of their skin.

In Space

Pai lives a quiet life with his grandparents. Though he wonders about the value of life and the possibility of life after death, he must put these questions on hold while he tends to his duties working at a supermarket. Upon the unexpected death of his grandmother, Pai and his grandfather are left with a deathbed request that leads the two on a surreal and meditative journey that finally provides our protagonist with some answers.

Its a Little Bit Funny…

…the films included in this one of a kind collection of shorts. Take a whirlwind journey into these unexpectedly humorous takes on life, from a Tarantino-esque New York revenge story to the surprising work of an undercover cop in sunny San Francisco. A hop, skip and a flight away lies the trivial suburbs of the Hawaiian Islands where the term “Forbidden Fruit” takes on a whole new meaning. Prepare to LOL during this lighthearted program. We dare you to stay in your seat when you’ll want to ROFL.

Included Shorts:

Kilo, dir. Phil Lorin and Kiel Murray

Father Sister, dir. Soyeon Kim

Lychee Thieves, dir. Kathleen Man

Empire Corner, dir. JP Chan

Wu is Dead, dir. Rich Wong

Just a Little Run

Two elementary school students, Yu-hsuan and Shao-yu, take off on a bus. Their destination, though unknown, is imagined as a place full of hope. In this quietly courageous film, two young protagonists take on more than a road trip.

Ketchup

This beautifully handcrafted animation weaves together a whimsical story that centers on a family struggling to earn a living by selling tomatoes to a ketchup factory. The answer to their hardships come in the form of magical seeds handed over by a mysterious stranger who promises that they will be able to grow beautiful tomatoes. The price of growing such beautiful tomatoes, however, is far beyond the family’s wildest expectations.

Director Wen Chung Lu will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Kilo

Tired of the same tedious duties, Officer Min Lee of the San Francisco Police Department jumps at the opportunity to work undercover and prove herself to her colleagues.  But once undercover she and her partner, Juan, lose a kilo of cocaine but she is compelled to find a replacement for the kilo. In a race against time, Min must decide between her career and her morals.

Actor Nik Tyler will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Letters From Alaska

Preceding Mountain Thief, Letters from Alaska, part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition, tells the story of Arvi Arsenal, an immigrant from Mindoro, who left the Philippines for America in search of a better life. Now working as a seafood processor, he finds that life is just as difficult in Alaska, if not more, than in the Philippines.

Letting Off

Guo has created his own little world in the safety of his convenience store, where he can guard his life from those who might judge his eccentricity. From the comfort of his self-made oasis, Guo sees past individuals who disguise dark and disgraceful secrets behind a facade of normality. In the midst of a superficial world, Guo challenges audiences to redefine how they view success and how they reveal their true selves.

Lovers

A closeted, older businessman faces remorse and guilt after his young male lover mysteriously disappears. His lover’s girlfriend and his estranged wife alternately chastise him for his debilitating secrecy. Can he find some solace by confiding in these women or will jealousy and mistrust only deepen their mutual loneliness?

Lychee Thieves

When Keoki offers to pick Arnie and Ethel’s abundant Lychee tree, Arnie refuses, suspecting that Keoki, along with the moody widow next door, will return with a plan to steal his precious Lychee. A paranoid Arnie attempts to interfere with their plans, without any consideration for the consequences of his actions.

Film crew Aidan Tumas will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Memento Mori

The evolution of science and technology promises us many things. Youth Bank offers a second and much younger life, the only catch is that your second life is permanently tied to your “”host”" body. In a desperate attempt to prolong her current life, our protagonist will go to any length to keep her “”host”" alive.

Director Yohko Shiraishi will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Memory of Forgotten War

The Korean War is also known as the Forgotten War. In this documentary, the Forgotten War is remembered. This astute film recounts the millions of casualties and families separated by the 38 parallel. The legacy of the Cold War is investigated through interviews with those who lived the tragedy, bringing urgent attention to the war and its fallout: Korea remains divided.

Mochi

Yulia is a live-in caretaker and yearns to return to Indonesia to open her own shop. Only one thing stands in the way of her homecoming: her cantankerous employer had decided to hold her passport hostage. Meanwhile, the son of Yulia’s employer attempts to convince his father to fund his venture into a mochi business. In the surprising conclusion to this film, both Yulia and the son find their resolutions in mochi.

Mr. Green

In a world where catastrophic global warming has become a reality, scientists gather to discuss the dismal state of the world. A scientist from Green Industry approaches a government undersecretary and involves him in a radical plan to save the planet and in turn leads him to a much greener life.

Director Greg Pak will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Mr. Shanbag’s Shop

In a city as ever-changing as Bangalore, Mr. Shanbag has managed to helm Premier Books for over 35 years. His store is a maze of stacked, un-alphabetized books, and his inventory is a stash of scribbled notes. Despite the chaos, Mr. Shanbag never fails to deliver on his patrons’ literary needs. An endearing portrait to the man behind Bangalore’s beloved institution.

My New York

According to E.B. White, “There are roughly three New Yorks”, consisting of the natives, the commuters, and the settlers. Evoking White’s essay, our protagonist Emily invites audiences to take a fresh look at this magnificent city where we live, sleep, work and play. Do we take it for granted?

Not That Different

At Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, there’s a White Quad and Asian Quad. Ellen and Patrick, two students from opposite sides of the Quad, attempt to demystify the myth that Asians and Caucasians don’t mix. The film plays devils advocate and explore both sides of the debate, teasing out the stereotypical views and cultural differences that lead to ethnicity-based cliques.

Nurturing the Hybrid Identity

Filmmaker Sudip Shakya was born in Nepal and raised in US. In this short, he returns to his native country where, reunited with his brother, he revisits memories of his past. At once familiar and strange, Shakya observes Nepal’s ancient culture as it stands on the brink of transformation.  Confronted with modernization and westernization, the young generation of Nepalis find their own way of adapting to change.

Oh Family, Where Art Thou?

According to Tolstoy, “Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” In this program, six films demonstrate that every family has its own means of overcoming adversity and struggle. In Daughters, a young girl in rural China must choose between saving her own life and her cousin’s while in Puncture Wounds, a piano protege’s act of defiance risks losing his older brother’s approval. This collection of films reminds us of the complex dynamics that make each family so singularly fascinating and unique.

Included Shorts:

Daughters, dir. Chloe Zhao

In Space, dir. Visra Vichit-Vadanka

Hide and Seek, dir. Asako Ushio

Unrest, dir. Christina Rubenstein

Puncture Wound, dir. Jason Ho

The Hirosaki Players, dir. Jeff Sousa

Mochi, dir. Chung Lee

Once More

A young TV reporter has an opportunity to interview a man who will be the first clone recipient after cloning his deceased wife. A week before his cloned bride awakes, the husband explains to an enraptured audience why he wants to bring his young wife back to life after her death. Both the unsuspecting reporter and audience believe they are listening to a love story, when in fact a harrowing secret lies beneath the truth.

Director Hiroo Takaoka will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Owl Service

At midnight, a runaway busdriver’s daughter rides on her father’s last shift home. As the bus drops each passengers off to their respective stops, father and daughter come to realize what it is that makes a home and a homecoming so invaluable.

Poi Dogs

In a surprisingly un-idyllic Hawaiian setting, an unpredictable moped and a brash sousaphone find each other amongst the graffitied buildings of the battered countryside. A dejected football player and a member of the band pantomime attraction, rejection, forgiveness, and harmony, all in scant minutes. And young love is born!

The Prodigy

The protagonist of this film reminds us that it is not easy to excel in any musical instrument. Behind every perfect performance is hours of practice, perseverance and endurance. Through the piano performance of a young prodigy, we see the sacrifice and pain she has endured to reach such adept skill.

Puncture Wound

Frankie wants a nose ring.  Frankie’s best friend, Wing, wants Frankie to get a nose ring.  Too bad Frankie’s older brother, Thomas, doesn’t want him doing anything other than practice for his upcoming piano recital.  Can Frankie satisfy the demands of both his friend and his brother without compromising his relationship to them and himself?

The Queen

A shy dry cleaning attendant listlessly shuffles through life and watches from afar as his high school peers engage in the normal rites of passage—the dreaded prom being the apogee. But when the store closes for the night all mousiness evaporates, music saturates the stale air, and he can truly let loose!

Director Christina Choe will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Receiver

Preceding The Things We Carry and part of the Cinema Me Shorts Competition, this short video essay features a grandmother lecturing her granddaughter about her future as a filmmaker. She has no confidence in her and feels that in order to succeed in life, nursing school is the right choice. Every artist can relate to the overlying theme in Receiver, the struggle to make a decent living and the expectations that come with your career choices.

Remembrance

Ming-liang Tsai makes a rare on camera appearance with his usual leading lady Yi-Ching Lu. At dusk, two long-time friends gather in a coffee shop and reminisce on memories of an old friend, the late Man-Fei Luo, a renowned dancer and choreographer. As morning approaches, their nostalgic conversation is disrupted by the goings on of the day, revealing the ephemerality that marks our memories and our existence.

Save the Lover

On Valentine’s Day, rookie gangster Hao’s boss assigns him to spy on his girlfriend. In an unlikely twist, Hao is held hostage by the very person he is supposed to spy on. When Hao’s boss attempts to rescue him, he discovers his lover’s true feelings.

Share the Morning

In a narrow alley of Taipei City, a stranded cat draws the attention of an eccentric gang of on-lookers. Each have an opinion to share about the situation. A comedic and exaggerated display of a lively and clamorous Taipei morning.

Skye

Relationships are complicated if you’re a teenager, but they are especially complicated for Skye. After a recent breakup, Skye begins to redefine her sexual orientation. With the help of her friend Jess, she learns to grapple with explaining her new identity to her friends and family.

Sleeping with Her

An aging woman feels trapped by both her past and the undignified conditions of her present life. She unleashes her resentment upon her caretaker, who endures bouts of loneliness as she feels an unrequited love for a Taiwanese man. An unlikely relationship story that portrays how loneliness can weave even the most adverse pair of individuals together

Smoke

Rebellious teenager Ku has been expelled from school for smoking. Her frustrated father follows her to a riverbank where the two fight, watch the sun set, share a cigarette, and ultimately, reconcile and forgive. In this father-daughter story, parent and child experience the silent process that bonds them closer together.

Struggle for Existence

An animated, live-action documentary about the Palila, a critically endangered Hawaiian forest bird. The filmmaker journeys from New York City to Hawaii to see the bird before it goes extinct. The film explore the questions of whether and how life is valued and preserved by man. This informative documentary explores the past and present conservation efforts of Hawaiian birds.

Director Laurie Sumiye will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Summer Heat

During a hot summer day, a man and a woman try to steal some time for their steamy affair in a regular motel room. Their erotic desire is short-lived, however, when a bizzare string of events get in the way of their plans.

Taipei 24H

What does a day look like in Taipei? Taipei 24H invites eight directors to employ their innovative styles and distinct perspectives to create a filmic essay of Taipei City. This special program is partitioned off into eight time frames and shows what events unfold throughout the course of the day. In this collection of films, Taipei is depicted as a place that can be at once absurd and playful, dreamlike and gritty.

Included Shorts:

Share the Morning, dir. Feng-feng Cheng

Just a Little Run, dir. Chang-zer Niu

Summer Heat, dir. Debbie Hsu

Save the Lover, dir. Hsian-tse Cheng

Smoke, dir. Chi-yuarn Lee

Dream Walker, dir. Ying-jung Chen

Owl Service, dir. Je-yi An

Remembrance, dir. Kang-sheng Lee

Tall Enough

What are the conditions by which we define compatibility? In this ode to the serendipity of love we find that difference may be the binding force. From the director of MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY, we witness the unfolding romance between an Asian man and a Black woman portrayed in snug frames and tender close-ups.

Actor Stephen Lin will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Transparent Movement

In this black and white non-narrative experimental short film, the rhythm of human body’s dancing is combined with drumbeat to create a new visual enjoyment for the audience. The filmmaker explores the limits of time and space through a kaleidoscope of innovative images.

Turn of the Harvest

Amidst the whimsical quiet of rural China, a married couple living on an isolated farm reminisce about heartbreak and loss as they prepare for the upcoming wheat harvest. Stunning painterly images of the landscape and lapses of prolonged silence create a haunting, intimate, and gentle portrait of two individuals stranded with their memories.

Undocumented Hope

This documentary investigates immigration policies from the perspective of immigrant youth who came to the United States with their parents. The filmmaker follows four undocumented students as they share their experiences, fears, and hopes for a better future.

Director Tanvir Toy will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Unrest

Untold Stories

In this collection of documentaries, a unique and diverse ensemble of stories bring us to all corners of the world. From a bookstore in Bangalore to a small village in Cambodia, a quiet wheat farm in rural China to a hair salon in Queens, New York, or going back in time to reconsider the Korean war, these insightful films demonstrate that no matter the place, there is always is a story worth recounting and a perspective worth considering.

Included Shorts:

Memory of Forgotten War, dir. Deann Borshay Liem and Ramsay Liem

Born Sweet, dir. Cynthia Wade

Mr. Shanbag’s Shop, dir. Asha Ghosh

Turn of the Harvest, dir. Tani Ikeda

Fine Threads, dir. Adele Pham

White Night

It is senior year, and Xiu Jiang is ready to pull another all-nighter as she prepares for her SAT exam. But when she wanders into sleep, Xiu Jiang dreams not of standardized testing, but of her passion for hip hop and freestyle dancing. Featuring E.P.I.C Motion Dance Company in New York City.

Director Teresa Lee will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Works of Art

In a sumptuously filmed New York, Art is a struggling actor, running to casting calls during lunch breaks from a boring job. Tired of being typecast and ignored, his friend offers him the acting job of a lifetime. While pretending to be someone else, he runs into the one real thing he has been missing all along.

Director Andrew Pang will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.

Wu is Dead

In this Tarantino-esque sequel to Empire Corner, filmmaker J.P. Chan produces and Rich Wong directs a story of revenge. After Wu’s disappearance, his sister decides to hunt down the members of the gang who attacked him. In her own way, she re-defines the art of torture.

Director Rich Wong will be in attendance and available for Q&A after the film.