San Diego Asian Film Festival November 8-17, 2018 160+ Films, 20+ Countries, 6 Venues, 1 Festival
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FESTIVAL MINI-GUIDE SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL NOVEMBER 8-17, 2018 160+ FILMS, 20+ COUNTRIES, 6 VENUES, 1 FESTIVAL. SDAFF.ORG WELCOME TO THE SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL! MAJOR GRANTS MAJOR SPONSORS MAJOR MEDIA SPOTLIGHT SPONSORS GALA PRESENTERS OPENING NIGHT WHAT A CRAZY RICH SUMMER it’s and Patrick Wang, who all return in 2018 been for Asian American cinema. Two with tenacious new features that look and features directed by and primarily sound like nothing else in mainstream featuring Asian Americans cracked the cinema. And let’s continue to herald the top four in weekly box office, and one emergence of new talents in documentary, has gone on to becoming the highest animation, narrative, and experimental grossing romantic comedy in nearly a filmmaking, and to those working in the decade. With any historic achievement feature and short forms, who realize that though comes the question: what’s Hollywood needs them more than they next? We can wait for Hollywood to need Hollywood. now invest in more Asian American And in the end, we’re reminded we need stories, but we’ve seen that enthusiasm them too. These are the filmmakers whose fizzle before. independence as artists fuel their nothing- Instead, let’s turn to the bedrock of to-lose spirits and dare them to make Asian American cinematic talent: the singular statements. After a historic independent filmmakers. Let’s summer, we return to our regular, bold, acknowledge the veterans who never spectacular programming in the fall. needed a #goldopen to announce their Filmmakers, audiences: welcome back to artistry. Directors like H.P. Mendoza, the San Diego Asian Film Festival. Stephanie Wang-Breal, Tanuj Chopra, Periodical Statement San Diego Asian Film Festival, Nov. 8–17, 2018, Issue No. 4 Published annually Address: Pacific Arts Movement, 2508 Historic Decatur Road #140, San Diego, CA 92106. 2 #SDAFF2018 TICKET INFORMATION • Tickets for all presentations are available at sdaff.org. • Walk-up tickets for presentations at UltraStar go on sale at the UltraStar box office startingNov. 2. • Walk-up tickets for presentations at non-UltraStar locations are available at that venue’s box officeone hour before showtime. • Vouchers can be redeemed for regular screenings (not valid for special presentations) at Pac Arts box office/will call. See back of voucher for details. NON-MEMBER PRICES PAC ARTS MEMBER PRICES GENERAL ADMISSION GENERAL ADMISSION $12 $9 OPENING/CLOSING FILMS OPENING/CLOSING FILMS $40 $30 CENTERPIECE FILM CENTERPIECE FILM $15 $12 FESTIVAL 6-PACK ALL FESTIVAL PASS $60 $195 ALL FESTIVAL PASS $295 GROUP TICKETS STUDENT/SENIOR/MILITARY MINIMUM OF 10 TICKETS PER SCREENING SAN DIEGO PUBLIC LIBRARY $9 (general), $30 (Opening/Closing), $10 (at door only) with valid ID $12 (Centerpiece) FREE SCREENINGS FREE FILMS AT 4 All films at 4:00PM on weekdays of the festival are free. SHORTS FOR SHORTIES! A collection of international short films, free for kids 12 and under (Nov. 10, pg 30). REEL VOICES World premiere of our high school documentary program (Nov. 11, pg 29). ALL SCREENINGS & PANELS AT UCSD PRICE CENTER THEATER Free for UCSD students, faculty, and staff with valid ID. PAC ARTS MEMBER SCREENING The Nov. 12 screening of DEAR EX (pg 12) is free for Pac Arts members SPECIAL EVENTS SDAFF AWARDS GALA & AFTER PARTY | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10 Awards Gala 5:00PM-9:00PM | After Party 9:00PM-midnight | Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier $200 for Pac Arts members / $250 general. Purchase tickets at pacarts.org/awards-gala. For more special events, visit sdaff.org or go to pg 23. TICKET INFORMATION 3 VENUES OPENING & CLOSING NIGHTS MAIN VENUE SDAFF AWARDS GALA SAN DIEGO NATURAL ULTRASTAR CINEMAS MISSION VALLEY PORT PAVILION ON BROADWAY PIER HISTORY MUSEUM 7510 Hazard Center Dr. #100 1000 N Harbor Dr. 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 San Diego, CA 92108 San Diego, CA 92101 (Nov. 8, Nov. 17) (Nov. 9-14) (Nov. 10) TAIWAN FILM INDIE FILMS IN NORTH MIRA MESA ENCORE SCREENINGS SHOWCASE PARK SCREENINGS SATURDAY UCSD PRICE CENTER DIGITAL GYM CINEMA EDWARDS MIRA MESA MUSEUM OF THEATER 2921 El Cajon Blvd. STADIUM PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS 9500 Gilman Dr. San Diego, CA 92104 10733 Westview Pkwy 1649 El Prado La Jolla, CA 92093 (Nov. 16-17) San Diego, CA 92126 San Diego, CA 92101 (Nov. 9-11) (Nov. 15-16) (Nov. 17) 4 #SDAFF2018 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS The feature presentations of this year's San Diego Asian Film Festival include two delectable films about families bound by food, a selection of imaginative virtual reality from Taiwan, classic films that will have you singing in your seats, and a rousing documentary about the kids who will save the world. LITTLE FOREST THUR YIM SOON-RYE / S. KOREA / 2018 / 103 MIN 11/08 When Hye-won flees Seoul’s empty calories and daily 7:00PM humiliations, she returns to her rural town with a voracious NAT craving to whip up the good stuff. A gorgeous cooking journey based on a popular manga, auteur Yim Soon-rye’s latest glows with the beauty of self-invention, seasonal joys, and homemade makgeoli. OPENING NIGHT INVENTING TOMORROW SUN LAURA NIX / USA / 2018 / 87 MIN 11/11 Science and young adult passion are entwined in this 7:00PM exhilarating dose of hope, creative guts and Inspector Gadget ULTRA genius. Four teens from Mexico, Hawaii, Indonesia, and India pursue ingenious solutions for environmental crises close to home on their way to the largest science fair in the world. A riveting journey and beautiful ode to awkward adolescence, teamwork, and people who want to save the world. CENTERPIECE RAMEN SHOP SAT ERIC KHOO / SINGAPORE, JAPAN, FRANCE / 2018 / 90 MIN 11/17 A cinematic turducken of food movie wrapped in a love story 7:15PM marinated by Singapore’s multi-ethnic history. Two iconic NAT dishes and one iconic director come together in a Japanese chef’s search for his Singaporean mother’s soup recipe, discovering forbidden love and family rifts swimming in the broth. Foregoing nostalgia, Khoo vividly portrays the ways CLOSING NIGHT political histories reinvent the very food we eat. VIRTUAL REALITY FROM TAIWAN FRI 11/09 UCSD PRICE CENTER THEATER / FREE 5:30-10:00PM Come check out the latest in virtual reality from Taiwan, featuring short narrative experiences that poke fun at SAT 11/10 tradition and reveal history in sensuous 360 degrees. 1:00-7:00PM THE TRAIN HAMASEN SUN 11/11 Lai Kuan-Yuan / Taiwan / 2017 / 8 min 1:00-7:00PM YOUR SPIRITUAL TEMPLE SUCKS John Hsu / Taiwan / 2017 / 10 min VIRTUAL REALITY FILMS UCSD VR experiences are available on a first come, first served basis. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS 5 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS CELLULOID JUKEBOX Like discovering birth parents way cooler than you could have imagined, these rediscovered classics rewrite the lineage of Asian cinema with vivid and timeless poignancy. THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST MON BROTHERS MACOTO TEZUKA / JAPAN / 1985 / 100 MIN 11/12 9:00PM Choreographed stage antics! Cocaine in kiddie pools! ULTRA This is the star-studded MTV glam rock opera you’ve never heard of, the one about dreamers who get a break from record label schemers and government conspirators, and who, in a flash of glory, experience the galaxial heights of CELLULOID JUKEBOX superstardom. Newly remastered cut of director Macoto (son of Osamu) Tezuka. MOON FASCINATING, BIRD SWEET SUN RICHARD CHEN YAO-CHI / TAIWAN / 1978 / 95 MIN 11/11 This program features two of director Richard Chen’s 1:00PM landmark films of youth in Taiwan. A newly-restored print of his documentary-esque short THE MOUNTAIN, about political UCSD ideals in 1960s Taiwan, made after he graduated from UCLA; and his Chiung Yao adaptation MOON FASCINATING, BIRD SWEET, about the romantic fantasies of a kindergarten CELLULOID JUKEBOX teacher played by Brigitte Lin. Preceded by THE MOUNTAIN / Richard Yao-Chi Chen / Taiwan / 1966, 2017 restoration / 19 min WAIKIKI BROTHERS FRI YIM SOON-RYE / S. KOREA / 2001 / 109 MIN 11/09 A landmark classic from the Korean New Wave, Yim Soon- 6:20PM rye’s deadpan portrait of masculinity follows a struggling cover band’s last gasp at a faded hotel in Sung-woo’s ULTRA hometown. Masterfully blending black comedy with warm compassion, this hard-to-find essential film, shown in a new digital remastering, features many of Korea’s future stars in CELLULOID JUKEBOX a stellar ensemble cast. 6 #SDAFF2018 ASIAN AMERICAN PANORAMA The best of Asian American cinema in all of its colors — from short film programs and animation, to documentaries about the famous and infamous, to feature-length tales of woe and humor. 1985 SUN YEN TAN / USA / 2018 / 85 MIN 11/11 It’s the Bible Belt during the AIDS crisis and Adrian is 8:30PM returning home for Xmas for possibly the last time. With ULTRA an all-consuming diagnosis put on painful mute, his dog and ex-girlfriend become his only confidants as Adrian grapples with the muscle tension of walking unspoken boundaries in the midst of family love. AUGUST AT AKIKO'S SAT CHRISTOPHER MAKOTO YOGI / USA / 2018 / 75 MIN 11/10 Saxophone in hand, Alex goes searching for his grandparents 1:00PM on the Big Island, only to discover they have long passed ULTRA away, leading him to free-spirited Akiko’s Buddhist B&B. A breathtaking ode to jazz, empathy, and an island breathing ancestral mystery and healing. BETWEEN TIDES THUR MASA FOX / JAPAN, USA, GUAM / 2018 / 87 MIN 11/15 As the Bonin Islands passed back and forth between US and 4:00PM Japan rule after WWII, for a young “Navy Generation” of EDMM multi-ethnic islanders, their citizenship, culture, and language changed overnight. Exploring the intimate ripple effects of ongoing statelessness, this film explores how these islanders hold onto remnants of their mixed traditions.