AAIFF FACEBOOK
Who is this mustached Elisa Paik? M.A.T.H. Club member extraordinaire, drinking buddy loyalist...
Name: Elisa Paik
Current occupation: Not really
Have you worked at the festival? Yes
If so, in what positions? Website, Filmmaker and Industry Liaison (2005); Special Events Coordinator (2002)
What are some memorable moments of working on staff?
- Hosting the "holistic fasting weekend," a.k.a. staff retreat, at the apartment Sonjia + I shared years ago. About eight of us agreed to fast for 48 hours to cleanse impurities before diving into the festival. Since we were all smokers + highly stressed, however, we did permit cigarettes. So, we ate nothing, smoked nonstop, and looked sullen; it was more a Supermodel Bootcamp than anything else - but man, did we bond!
- I've known Sonjia for 16 years + only ever heard her cuss out a superior twice - once was in junior high in a church van, and the last time was at the 2002 festival. Both times were so frightening that we've never really talked about them since.
Why should people come to the Festival?
Shall I be completely honest? Meeting crush-worthy boys + girls.
What are some memorable films you've seen at the Festival?
TRAVELLERS AND MAGICIANS (2003, Bhutan) was one of that country's first features. It was smart and heartfelt - not to mention lush and majestic. The MUSIC VIDEO SHOW program is always exciting - the crowd goes apesh*t! They videos are consistently innovative, and watching the voting is fun.
What do you think sets AAIFF apart from the other Asian American film festivals?
We are a classic New York story. We're scrappy (run on a shoe-string budget), indie (always encouraging emerging talent via networking events, workshops, and youth programs), and seasoned (the longest-running Asian American festival), but still manage to create a wonderful sense of home.