Lia Chang
During the weekend of July 23 – 26, 2009, Asian CineVision (ACV) is presenting the 32nd Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) and will showcase 14 feature films and 50 short films.
“We are very happy to be moving downtown to the Clearview Chelsea Cinemas, where we will be screening the majority of our feature films,” said Acting Executive Director of ACV John Woo. “A limited number of screenings will also be held across the street at the brand new School of Visual Arts Theater while our short films will be screened at the new Museum of Chinese in America building, designed by the legendary Maya Lin.”
For Opening Night, respected Hong Kong screenwriter, Ivy Ho’s directorial debut, Claustrophobia, will be having its New York premiere. The Centerpiece Presentation on Saturday, July 25, will showcase a festival circuit favorite, Children of Invention, directed by Tze Chun. Concluding the festival will be the Closing Night Presentation, the New York Premiere of Fruit Fly, a musical comedy directed by H.P. Mendoza. The full lineup follows:
Children of Invention directed by Tze Chun (USA)
When their home is foreclosed on, the Cheng family moves into a unit in an unfinished apartment building, pushing mother and children to look for ways to pull in some extra income.
NYC Premiere of Claustrophobia directed by Ivy Ho (Hong Kong)
A sensitive and deceptively serene portrayal of five office colleagues’ relationships marks this intelligently crafted directorial debut by one of Hong Kong’s best-known screenwriters.
World Premiere of Formosa Betrayed directed by Adam Kane (USA)
FBI agent Jake Kelly’s investigation of a loved professor’s murder leads him to Taiwan, where he finds that the killers are part of a terrible web of politics that he only starts to cut through when he finds a friend in a local activist.
NYC Premiere of Fruit Fly directed by H.P. Mendoza (USA)
A naughty, fast-paced, punchy romp of a musical, Fruit Fly follows young performance artist Bethesda on her soul-searching journey to find a place for herself while trying her luck in the art scene.
World Premiere of Hubad directed by Mark Gray and Denisa Reyes (Philippines)
In a conservative community, theater director Andre tries to break new ground with a hyper sexual play. He faces obstacles in funding his project and working with his actors, but passion ignites between the two middle-aged leads as theater and life become intertwined.
NYC Premiere of Karma Calling directed by Sarba Das (USA)
The Raj family is definitely not comprised of stereotypical model minorities living the American Dream. On top of the family’s troubled finances, the family hosts a recently widowed relative who is an endless source of comic disasters.
NYC Premiere of Li Tong directed by Nian Liu (China)
A restless young girl loses her bus pass one day after school. Her meandering trip home is the thread of this poignant “day in the life” tale, which wends its way through the various homes, personae and urban landscapes of contemporary Beijing.
East Coast Premiere of Manilatown Is In the Heart directed by Curtis Choy (USA)
A documentary about the Manongs in San Francisco’s Manilatown and a look into the life of the late poet Al Robles, Manilatown Is In the Heart is a touching eulogy to an activist/historian who was outlived by the vanishing subject that he strived to preserve.
Paper Heart directed by Nicholas Jasenovec (USA)
Charlyne Yi doesn’t believe in fairytale-like romance but can’t deny that it may exist for others. With her friend and director, Nick Jasenovec, she sets out to film a documentary about true love.
World Premiere of Pastry directed by Risky Liu (Hong Kong)
The youngest of five daughters traces the story of her life through the weddings of her sisters. As each member of the family comes to terms with her own womanhood, a simple egg tart becomes the anchor of their experiences and emotions.
Tibet in Song directed by Ngawang Choephel (USA)
Ethnomusicologist Ngawang Choephel travels across Tibet to record and study the rich diversity of traditional folk songs but is arrested by the Chinese government for suspected espionage.
East Coast Premiere of Whatever It Takes directed by Christopher Wong (USA)
The first year of the Bronx Center of Science and Mathematics is documented in this film. With a stated mission of patching the cracks in the education system, it’s clear that the odds are stacked against it.
NYC Premiere of White on Rice directed by David Boyle (USA)
Hung up over his divorce and sharing a room with his 10 year-old nephew, Jimmy can’t even keep a job without help from brother-in-law, Tak. When Jimmy falls for Tak’s niece, Ramona, it seems like he may be heading for trouble, but all is not yet lost in this quest for love.
East Coast Premiere of You Don’t Know Jack directed by Jeff Adachi (USA)
Way before Harold and Kumar’s search for sliders, before we learned about Drifting in Tokyo’s parking structures, and before the All-American Girl Margaret Cho’s foray into network television, there was Jack Soo.
ABOUT ASIAN CINEVISION (ACV)
Asian CineVision, Inc. is a not-for-profit national media arts organization dedicated to the development, promotion and preservation of film and video arts by and about people of Asian descent. Founded in 1976 by Hong Kong cinema legend Tsui Hark, Oscar-nominated director Christine Choy, Danny Yung, and Peter Chow, ACV began as a media activism organization. The organization continues to serve the Asian American community by promoting the works of Asian and Asian American filmmakers, and providing a window to the diverse experiences and livelihoods of the Asian diaspora. For more information on ACV, please visit www.asiancinevision.org.
ABOUT THE ASIAN AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (AAIFF)
AAIFF is the first and longest running festival in the country devoted to showcasing films created by media artists of Asian descent and about the Asian community. Founded in 1978, AAIFF continues to be a leading showcase for Asian American film and video. In addition to panels, workshops, and film receptions, this year’s festival will feature the work of over 50 filmmakers during the weekend of July 23-26 across three locations: the Clearview Chelsea Cinemas, SVA Theater, & the newly renovated Museum of Chinese in America. For more information on AAIFF ‘09, please visit www.aaiff.org.
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