a Visual Communications production ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL No. 34 | May 3 - May 12, 2018 festival.vconline.org PROGRAM SCHEDULE THU MAY 3 MON MAY 7 VENUE LEGEND DGA 7:00 PM | 101 MINS OPENING: SEARCHING REGAL 6:30 PM | 117 MINS MY SO-CALLED ADOLESCENCE REGAL 6:30 PM | 88 MINS THE CLEANERS FRI MAY 4 341 FSN REGAL 7:30 PM | 84 MINS FOR IZZY AMC 7:00 PM | 95 MINS CALL HER GANDA 341 FSN (Formerly REGAL 9:15 PM | 85 MINS WHITE RABBIT DGA 7:00 PM | 37 MINS HBO APA VISIONARIES 2018 Matsumura Gift Shop) REGAL 9:30 PM | 99 MINS FEMINIST AF TOO AMC 9:30 PM | 96 MINS SNEAK PEEK: A NEW DARK COMEDY BY H.P. MENDOZA REGAL 9:45 PM | 85 MINS STAND UP MAN AMC SAT MAY 5 TUE MAY 8 AMC Dine-in Sunset 5 TAT 10:00 AM | 28 MINS ITSY BITSY SHORTS REGAL 6:30 PM | 88 MINS WARU TAT 11:00 AM | 73 MINS FROM VISION TO REEL: GENERASIANS REGAL 6:45 PM | 82 MINS FISH BONES ARATANI DTIND 11:00 AM | 55 MINS PROOF OF LOYALTY REGAL 6:45 PM | 96 MINS OMOTENASHI Aratani Theatre @ JACCC JANM 12:00 PM | 75 MINS C3: CRAZY | RICH | ASIANS REGAL 7:00 PM | 90 MINS SCIENCE FAIR EWP 12:30 PM | 98 MINS CORRIDOR FOUR REGAL 9:00 PM | 95 MINS SECOND GENERATION QUEER CGV DTIND 1:15 PM | 100 MINS DISLOCATED SELF AND BEYOND REGAL 9:15 PM | 99 MINS HANH, SOLO CGV Cinemas Koreatown TAT 1:15 PM | 104 MINS OUT OF STATE REGAL 9:30 PM | 96 MINS FIND YOUR VOICE JANM 1:30 PM | 60 MINS C3: BUILDING US UP DGA JANM 2:45 PM | 60 MINS C3: WHERE ARE OUR APA FILM CRITICS & JOURNALISTS? WED MAY 9 Directors Guild of America EWP 3:00 PM | 78 MINS ANGKAR REGAL 6:30 PM | 99 MINS LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING TAT 4:00 PM | 84 MINS PASIFIKAS WANG STORY DTIND DTIND 4:00 PM | 93 MINS MINDING THE GAP REGAL 6:30 PM | 121 MINS JIMAMI TOFU Downtown Independent JANM 4:00 PM | 60 MINS C3: DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK REGAL 7:00 PM | 92 MINS THE FEVER AND THE FRET ARATANI 5:00 PM | 92 MINS CENTERPIECE: IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC REGAL 8:00 PM | 34 MINS ARMED WITH A CAMERA VOL. 2018 EWP JANM 5:15 PM | 60 MINS C3: THE STORIES WE TELL REGAL 9:15 PM | 101 MINS NEOMANILA EWP 5:30 PM | 99 MINS BECOMING WHO I WAS REGAL 9:30 PM | 98 MINS IT’S A PARTY Theater @ East West TAT 6:30 PM | 85 MINS ISLAND SOLDIER THU MAY 10 Players DTIND 6:30 PM | 95 MINS PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE CGV 10:00 AM | 88 MINS SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD ARATANI 8:00 PM | 85 MINS CENTERPIECE: FICTION & OTHER REALITIES GRIFF CGV 12:00 PM | 90 MINS SCIENCE FAIR TAT 9:00 PM | 95 MINS KULEANA Park Center @ CGV 2:00 PM | 75 MINS CHINA’S FORGOTTEN DAUGHTERS DTIND 9:00 PM | 96 MINS THE NO SPIN ZONE Griffith Park CGV 3:45 PM | 102 MINS BEYOND OUR MEMORIES SUN MAY 6 CGV 6:30 PM | 113 MINS KISS AND SPELL JANM EWP 12:00 PM | 75 MINS #ASAMCREATORROLLCALL - THE EPISODICS ARATANI 7:00 PM | 94 MINS CLOSING: MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. Japanese American ARATANI 1:00 PM | 107 MINS DIGITAL HISTORIES: OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD CGV 9:00 PM | 124 MINS THE THIRD MURDER National Museum EWP 2:00 PM | 44 MINS PRISON FOOD FRI MAY 11 ARATANI 4:00 PM | 80 MINS ULAM: MAIN DISH GRIFF 6:00 PM | 88 MINS MULAN: A SING-ALONG REGAL EWP 4:30 PM | 94 MINS FOREVER ALONE (OR NOT) (20TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING) Regal L.A. LIVE DTIND 5:00 PM | 77 MINS ANOTE’S ARK TAT 6:30 PM | 160 MINS THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT SAT MAY 12 TAT USC 6:00 pm PAST//FORWARD GALA: DTIND 7:15 PM | 88 MINS AUGUST AT AKIKO’S Tateuchi Democracy COMING HOME DTIND 9:30 PM | 95 MINS NIGHTCAP Forum @ JANM

Film Legend USC  C3 CONFERENCE  INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE  SHORTS PROGRAMS FEATURE COMPETITION USC Town & Gown  DOCUMENTARY FEATURE  SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS COMPETITION  NARRATIVE FEATURE Ballroom COMPETITION  INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION  SPECIAL FEATURES

1 • #LAAPFF2018 PROGRAM SCHEDULE • 2 TICKETING INFORMATION VENUES Tickets for all shows are available at festival.vconline.org.

Day-of tickets for shows can be purchased at that venue’s box office one (1) hour prior to the first show of the day.

All programs are subject to change and/or cancellation without prior notice. AMC DINE-IN SUNSET 5 CGV CINEMAS DIRECTORS GUILD ALL WORKS PRESENTED IN THE FESTIVAL ARE UNRATED. PARENTAL GUIDANCE IS (21+ ONLY VENUE) 621 S Western Ave OF AMERICA 8000 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90005 7920 Sunset Blvd SUGGESTED. Please arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled program. Seating cannot be West , CA 90046 Parking: 3 hours validated free West Hollywood, CA 90046 guaranteed for ticket holders who arrive after the program begins. Empty seats may be resold; Parking: 4 hours validated free parking Parking: Underground parking no refunds will be issued. parking structure, entrance on Hayworth Ave

All Sales Are Final. NO REFUNDS. Exchanges given only for program cancellations.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or call (213) 680-4462 x59.

ADMISSION SPECIAL PROGRAMS $14 – General OPENING NIGHT | CLOSING NIGHT DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT PARK CENTER @ REGAL L.A. LIVE: A BARCO $13 – Students & Seniors $60 – General 251 S Main St GRIFFITH PARK INNOVATION CENTER $12 – VC Members $55 – Students, Seniors, & VC Members Los Angeles, CA 90012 4670 Crystal Springs Dr 1000 W Olympic Blvd Parking: Several pay lots available Los Angeles, CA 90027 Los Angeles, CA 90015 in Downtown Parking: Upon arrival, follow Parking: Lot 4 or Lot W, 4 hours TICKET PACKAGES FESTIVAL CENTERPIECES signage for parking validated parking for $8 FESTIVAL 10-PACK $20 – General $135 – General $18 – Students, Seniors, & VC Members LITTLE TOKYO $120 – VC Members Parking: Several pay lots and metered street parking are available. Redeemable for all ticketed programs except C3: THE CONFERENCE Opening, Closing, Centerpiece, and C3 FOR CREATIVE CONTENT Conference. No limit per program. (All-Day Conference Pass) $25 – General FESTIVAL PASS $20 – Students, Seniors, & VC Members $330 – General FREE for Festival Badge Holders $300 – VC Members Get priority seating and entry to DIGITAL HISTORIES: 341 FSN JAPANESE AMERICAN ARATANI THEATRE @ JACCC the majority of Festival events! OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD 341 E 1st St NATIONAL MUSEUM 244 S San Pedro St Los Angeles, CA 90012 100 N Central Ave Los Angeles, CA 90012 $10 – Suggested Donation Los Angeles, CA 90012

FREE SCREENINGS Free to the Public. Tickets are required for admission into the theatre and will be distributed online and at the Box Office. First come, first served.

May 5: ITSY BITSY SHORTS, FROM VISION TO REEL: GENERASIANS May 6: THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT DAVID HENRY HWANG FESTIVAL HQ @ TATEUCHI DEMOCRACY May 10: SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD, SCIENCE FAIR, CHINA’S FORGOTTEN DAUGHTERS, THEATER @ EAST WEST FAR EAST LOUNGE FORUM @ JANM BEYOND OUR MEMORIES PLAYERS 353 E 1st St 100 N Central Ave May 11: MULAN: A SING-ALONG 120 Judge John Aiso Los Angeles, CA 90012 Los Angeles, CA 90012 S Los Angeles, CA 90012

VENUES • 4 3 • TICKETING INFORMATION CONTENTS WELCOME

WELCOME TO THE 34TH EDITION OF THE LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM 1 Program Schedule FESTIVAL, running May 3rd – 12th, 2018. We at Visual Communications proudly 3 Ticketing Information present a slate of artists and creators who continue to shift narratives and challenge 4 Venues perspectives. 6 Welcome Opening Night kicks off LAAPFF with Aneesh Chaganty’s SEARCHING, featuring 7 About Our Art leading man John Cho. Yes, #StarringJohnCho is still going strong! Our Centerpiece 8 Parties & Afterhours films showcase the world premieres of Caylee So & Visal Sok’s IN THE LIFE OF MU- 9 Festival Sponsors SIC and Bobby Choy’s (aka Big Phony) FICTION & OTHER REALITIES. For our Closing 13 Opening Night Night feature, we highlight the story of artist/activist M.I.A. in MATANGI / MAYA / 14 Closing Night M.I.A. 15 Centerpieces Number 34 maintains our spirit of producing this Festival through the process of cre- 17 Narrative Feature Competition ating our ideal communities. Our programmers and staff imagine our ideal commu- nities to be inclusive while struggling towards equity and change. And with regards 19 Documentary Feature Competition to the ongoing discourse about diversity, we aim to have a space that engages 21 International Narrative Feature Competition intra-diversity amongst AAPIs and inter-diversity with other communities. 23 International Documentary Feature Competition This Festival also launches our countdown to 50 years of Visual Communications. 25 Special Presentations At the end of the Festival, our PAST//FORWARD Gala will honor our builders and 27 Mulan: A Sing Along (20th Anniversary Screening) storytellers as we toast to our 48th year. We look forward to celebrating with you for 28 Shorts Programs the next few years until our 50th in 2020.

34 HBO APA Visionaries 2018 THANK YOU to our VC supporters, artists, partners, sponsors, friends, and families 35 Armed With a Camera Vol. 2018 for continuing to believe in what we do and what we make happen. In our pursuit 37 Digital Histories: Our Stories, Now Told to create space for cultural connections, we hope that each one of you find a home 41 Spotlight on with us at the Festival. 42 Seikatsu Room 43 #AsAmCreatorRollCall: The Episodics 44 Interactive Francis Cullado, 47 C3: The Conference for Creative Content Executive Director 53 Past//Forward: Coming Home 55 Staff List 57 Special Thanks 59 VC Members and Donors 61 Become a VC Member 62 About VC

5 • #LAAPFF2018 WELCOME • 6 ABOUT OUR ART PARTIES & AFTERHOURS

OPENING NIGHT PARTY FESTIVAL FILMMAKER VISIONARIES FRIDAY presented by Tiger Beer WELCOME BRUNCH presented by HBO ($35; FREE for badge holders and presented by the DGA (invited guests only) Opening Night film ticket holders) (invited filmmakers and guests only) Friday, May 4 Thursday, May 3 Friday, May 4 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm 10:00 am - 11:30 am Directors Guild of America Directors Guild of America Directors Guild of America 7920 Sunset Blvd 7920 Sunset Blvd 7920 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90046 Los Angeles, CA 90046 Los Angeles, CA 90046

FESTIVAL PUB HUB FESTIVAL INDUSTRY #AsAmCreatorRollCall @ FAR BAR WELCOME BRUNCH MIXER (food & drink specials for badge presented by Nielsen hosted by the Asian Pacific & day-of ticket holders) (invited filmmakers and guests only) Filmmakers Experience Saturday, May 5 to Saturday, May 5 Committee Thursday, May 10 10:00 am - 11:30 am (registered guests only) Far Bar Japanese American Saturday, May 5 347 E 1st St National Museum 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Los Angeles, CA 90012 100 N Central Ave Opodz Los Angeles, CA 90012 362 E 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012

A•DOC RECEPTION LT VIBES x LAAPFF vol. 2018 DIGITAL HISTORIES (invited guests only) ($5; FREE for badge holders and RECEPTION Saturday, May 5 Centerpiece films ticket holders) (invited filmmakers and guests only) 9:00 pm Saturday, May 5 Sunday, May 6 Señor Fish 10:00 pm - 2:00 am 11:00 am - 12:00 pm 155 S Main St Kasih Far Bar VIVIAN SHIH (b. 1992) is the artist behind the 34th Los Los Angeles, CA 90012 200 S Los Angeles St 347 E 1st St Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival's key art. Her playful use Los Angeles, CA 90012 Los Angeles, CA 90012 of bold and colorful pastel sketches depicts a montage of LA’s disparate landscapes centered within a silhouette, LUNCHTIME LAYOVER cineMERIENDA indie WEDNESDAY an open-natured way to represent the diverse group of presented by Philippine ($35 general; $30 members) presented by SAGindie people in Los Angeles. Department of Tourism Sunday, May 6 Wednesday, May 9 The final sketch was painted with acrylic ink on a large (invited filmmakers and guests only) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 10:00 pm - midnight Sunday, May 6 James Irvine 18 Social Lounge @ sheet of printmaking paper that was later scanned digitally. 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm Japanese Garden @ JACCC Hotel Indigo “My design represents the people of LA and the love we Wolf & Crane Bar, 244 S San Pedro St 899 Francisco St have for our city. Our landscapes change drastically so 366 E 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012 Los Angeles, CA 90017 quickly: one block is completely different from another, Los Angeles, CA 90012 and Santa Monica feels like a different city than Echo Park. Nevertheless, all of this is inclusive in the beautiful and FESTIVAL AWARDS CLOSING NIGHT PARTY PAST//FORWARD GALA: eclectic Los Angeles full of interesting people, film, culture, CEREMONY presented by Tiger Beer COMING HOME (invited filmmakers and guests only) ($35; FREE for badge holders and and life.” Saturday, May 12 Thursday, May 10 Closing Night film ticket holders) 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm Find more of her work at vivianshih.com. 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Thursday, May 10 USC Town & Japanese American 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm Gown Ballroom — Katherine Aranda National Museum Japanese American Cultural & 665 Exposition Blvd 100 N Central Ave Community Center Los Angeles, CA 90089 Los Angeles, CA 90012 244 S San Pedro St Visit vconline.org/VC50 for Los Angeles, CA 90012 more info

Unless otherwise noted, entrance fees to parties can only be purchased at the door.

7 • ABOUT OUR ART PARTIES & AFTERHOURS • 8 FESTIVAL SPONSORS PLATINUM STAR

GOLD

GOVERNMENT

SILVER

BRONZE

FOUNDATION

MEDIA

9 • #LAAPFF2018 FESTIVAL SPONSORS • 10 IN KIND

Here’s to challenging perspectives and

contemporary indonesian HANDCRAFTED ICE CREAM cuisine empowering communities.

Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to support Visual Communications and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. We are pleased to accept the Influencer Award, and would like to salute this year’s fellow honorees.

VENUES Cornerstone Award Doug Aihara

Past/Forward Award Renee Tajima-Pena

Thank you for supporting the voices of Asian American & Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists.

COMCASTCORPORATION.COM

11 • FESTIVAL SPONSORS OPENING NIGHT CLOSING NIGHT

SEARCHING MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. Aneesh Chaganty / USA / 2018 / 101 mins Stephen Loveridge / USA / 2018 / 94 mins After David Kim (John Cho)’s 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a The Festival closes with a decade long documentary on one of the most controversial musicians/artists in the detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search world, Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, better known to the world as M.I.A.. Chronicling her life from London the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter’s laptop. immigrant teenager to international popstar, MATANGI / MAYA / M.I.A. is suitably disordered, provocative, and authentic in chronicling the life one of the most provocative personalities working in music today. We are very excited to open the Festival with the Sundance NEXT Audience Award winner SEARCHING from director Aneesh Chaganty and #StarringJohnCho. This innovative film, which takes place all within Digital artist turned director Steve Loveridge culls a cache of personal tapes shot by Maya and her closest a computer screen, is a unique experiment that is very outside-the-box, yet it all takes place within the friends over the last 22 years, as we see the evolution of her mashed up, cut-and-paste identity that she “box” of a computer screen. curates along her artistic journey — a mercurial blend of sonic experimentation, media provocation, and impassioned, often unpopular political activism. Stretching the parameters of genre cinema that may, on the surface, be limiting, Chaganty’s deft direction, coupled with an intense performance by Cho, showcases a new voice in Asian American and Audiences are brought along for the ride, as Maya kept the camera rolling through her many battles with genre filmmaking, much like how Jordan Peele’s GET OUT flipped the script on horror film conventions. music industry suits and mainstream media, and her success and fame grew globally. — Anderson Le – Anderson Le Thursday, May 10 / 7:00 pm / Aratani Theatre @ JACCC Thursday, May 3 / 7:00 pm / Directors Guild of America

OPENING NIGHT PARTY CLOSING NIGHT PARTY presented by Tiger Beer presented by Tiger Beer Join us to celebrate the launch of LAAPFF2018 after the screening! Join us at the end of the night to celebrate the finale of LAAPFF2018! $35 (door only); FREE for badge holders and Opening Night film ticket holders $35 (door only); FREE for badge holders and Closing Night film ticket holders Thursday, May 3 / 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm / Directors Guild of America Thursday, May 10 / 9:30 pm - 11:30 pm / Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

13 • OPENING NIGHT CLOSING NIGHT• 14 CENTERPIECES CENTERPIECES

IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC FICTION & OTHER REALITIES Caylee So, Visal Sok / Cambodia / 2018 / 92 mins Bobby Choy, Steve Lee / South Korea, USA / 2018 / 85 mins From directors Caylee So and Visal Sok, IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC is a triptych of stories divided into 3 chapters, Inspired by musician Bobby Choy’s (aka Big Phony) life, a struggling Korean American musician from New 3 generations, and 3 worlds. It is a powerful intergenerational tale that explores love, war, and a family’s York is given an opportunity to travel as a roadie for his best friend’s world tour. When they arrive in Seoul, relationship to “Champa Battambang,” made famous by Sinn Sisamouth, the King of Cambodian music. Bobby befriends a woman and decides to ditch the band and stay in this “land where everyone looks like him” The film depicts the lives of people whose world is inevitably transformed by the emergence of the Khmer to investigate a feeling that could potentially fill a major void in his life. Rouge. The elevator pitch for the film would be “the Korean American version of ONCE,” but it is more than that. Cambodian American filmmaker Caylee So, born in a refugee camp and raised in Northern Virginia, calls With charming performances from Bobby (who wears multiple hats as star, writer, producer, and co-director) Long Beach her current home base and is an active member of the Cambodian community — as a founder and co-star Hwa-Young Im as Ina, the fellow singer-songwriter who captures his eye and heart, FICTION & of the Cambodian Town Film Festival and an LAAPFF alumnus (winning the Linda Mabalot New Directors/ OTHER REALITIES celebrates how outsiders can find human connection through the universal language of New Visions Award for her PAULINA at LAAPFF 2013). Partnering with creative director and music. filmmaker Visal Sok, IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC is a love letter to the legacy and resiliency of a people and culture that was almost eradicated by the Pol Pot regime told over a span of 37 years. Joining the tradition of other major Korean American films that have been presented as the Festival's Center- piece (K-TOWN COWBOYS and TWINSTERS), Bobby Choy's directorial debut is in good company. It is with great honor that LAAPFF not only host the world premiere of IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC, but also — Anderson Le present it as the first Cambodian-produced Festival Centerpiece film. — Anderson Le Saturday, May 5 / 8:00 pm / Aratani Theatre @ JACCC Saturday, May 5 / 5:00 pm / Aratani Theatre @ JACCC FICTION & OTHER REALITIES is part of the Narrative Feature Competition section IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC is part of the International Narrative Feature Competition section

15 • #LAAPFF2018 CENTERPIECES • 16 NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Prepare to be challenged, enlightened, shocked, and entertained as we proudly roll out this year’s excellent slate of North American Narrative Feature nominees.

AUGUST AT AKIKO'S HANH, SOLO Christopher Makoto Yogi / USA / 2017 / 76 mins Jason Taylor / USA / 2017 / 86 mins Cosmopolitan musician Alex Zhang Hungtai (of Dirty Beaches) returns This witty comedy follows the day-to-day struggles of Hanh, to Hawai‘i after many years away. While searching for his missing a twenty-something with no direction, as she tries to navigate grandmother, he forms a bond with local elder Akiko, who teaches the world around her. Fed up with settling for her boring life in him to connect with the spirit of home he carries within him. Philadelphia, she decides to put her old fears and anxieties behind her Preceded by SOLO (David Liu / 2017 / 12 mins) to become something different: New Hanh. Sunday, May 6 / 7:15 pm / Downtown Independent Preceded by SALAMAGAN (Elisa Oh / 2017 / 13 mins) Tuesday, May 8 / 9:15 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

THE FEVER AND THE FRET STAND UP MAN Cath Gulick / USA / 2017 / 76 mins Aram Siu Wai Collier / Canada / 2017 / 85 mins In this moving, dark fairy tale, Eleanor, a shy, artistic teen in the Forced to move back to his small nowhere hometown, a wannabe Bronx, is tormented for her large facial birthmarks. She begins visiting comedian finds his dreams derailed in the family restaurant. Life gets another world at night, encountering another being. But when a more complicated when his spoiled, orange-haired teenage cousin confrontation at school sends reality crashing down, Eleanor may from Korea unexpectedly shows up, sending the two on a funny and have to leave her fantasy behind forever. bittersweet journey of discovering new paths for themselves. Preceded by ELLA (Dan Chen / 2017 / 16 mins) Monday, May 7 / 9:45 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE Wednesday, May 9 / 7:00 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

FISH BONES WHITE RABBIT Joanne Park / USA / 2017 / 82 mins Daryl Wein / USA / 2018 / 71 mins Told in a series of non-linear, visually-arresting vignettes, model Vivian Bang gives a delightful, refreshing performance in this Jonny Kim stars as Hana, a Korean immigrant on winter break, caught whimsical Sundance hit as Sophia, a Korean American queer between worlds. While struggling to find peace with her conservative performance artist living in L.A. Struggling with the meaning of mother and the expectations surrounding her future, Hana begins art and her recent break-up, she meets a free-spirited Ghanaian falling for Nico, a tender and affectionate Latina music producer. American photographer and develops strong feelings for her. But Tuesday, May 8 / 6:45 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE are the feelings reciprocated? Preceded by END OF THE LINE (Jessica Sanders / 2018 / 14 mins) Monday, May 7 / 9:15 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

FOR IZZY Alex Chu / USA / 2018 / 84 mins Dede (Michelle Ang), a photojournalist and recovering addict, moves in next door to Laura, a young woman with autism. As the pair form an unlikely friendship, Dede assembles a documentary, using animation and found footage to tell a story of sobriety, of family and friendship, and of love and forgiveness. Monday, May 7 / 7:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

17 • #LAAPFF2018 NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION • 18 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

This year’s Documentary Competition is distinguished by emerging artists with exciting untold stories as well as subjects which hold super-apt relevancy to our changing worldview(s) today.

ANOTE'S ARK MINDING THE GAP Matthieu Rytz / Canada / 2018 / 77 mins Bing Liu / USA / 2018 / 93 mins Composed of 32 atolls and reef islands in the Pacific Ocean, Kiribati A personal snapshot of skateboarding and toxic masculinity, three faces the unstoppable rise of the sea, which will engulf the nation young men bond together to escape volatile families in their Rust Belt before long. The people of Kiribati will soon be the world’s first hometown. As they face adult responsibilities, unexpected revelations “climate change refugees.” This deft examination of the race to threaten their decade-long friendship. This Sundance Jury Award preserve a culture asks: Can these people survive as their country Winner combines slick skate footage and intimate interviews to disappears? chronicle ordinary lives in transition. Sunday, May 6 / 5:00 pm / Downtown Independent Saturday, May 5 / 4:00 pm / Downtown Independent

CALL HER GANDA SCIENCE FAIR PJ Raval / Philippines, USA / 2018 / 95 min Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster / USA / 2018 / 90 mins PJ Raval returns to LAAPFF with this film about grassroots activists in Winner of Sundance’s first ever “Festival Favorite Award” and SXSW’s the Philippines who are spurred into action when a local transgender “Audience Award,” the film follows nine high school students from woman is found dead in a motel room, with a 19-year-old U.S. Marine disparate corners of the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks, as the leading suspect. As the activists demand answers and a just trial, and hormones on their quest to win the International Science and hidden histories of U.S. colonization come bubbling to the surface in Engineering Fair in Los Angeles. Only one can be named “Best in Fair.” this multifaceted investigation. Tuesday, May 8 / 7:00 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE Friday, May 4 / 7:00 pm / AMC Dine-in Sunset 5 Thursday, May 10 / 12:00 pm / CGV Cinemas (Free Screening) (21+ ONLY VENUE)

CORRIDOR FOUR ULAM: MAIN DISH Stephen Tringali / USA / 2017 / 80 mins Alexandra Cuerdo / USA / 2017 / 80 mins Challenging the image of the American hero, this film is an honest, “Could it be that Filipino food, the underdog of Asian cuisines, is heartfelt portrait of Pentagon 9/11 first-responder Isaac Ho’opi’i, having its moment at last?” (New York Times). Featuring Alvin Cailan as he works to put that traumatic experience behind him through (Eggslut, Unit 120), Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad (Maharlika, the support of his family and his love of Hawaiian music. Ho’opi’i’s Jeepney), Charles Olalia (Ricebar), and more, follow the rise of the extraordinary story is one of courage, survivor’s remorse, coping, and Filipino food movement via the chefs crossing over to the center of endurance. the American table. Kain na! Preceded by FIFTEEN YEARS LATER (Manish Dayal / 2018 / 18 mins) Sunday, May 6 / 4:00 pm / Aratani Theatre @ JACCC Saturday, May 5 / 12:30 pm /

ISLAND SOLDIER Nathan Fitch / Afghanistan, Micronesia, USA / 2017 / 85 mins The untold story of Micronesian citizens fighting America’s wars at high rates per capita, revealed through the intimate and affecting odyssey of the Nena family. Against the backdrop of a remote Pacific Island on the brink of economic collapse, the family strives for the “American Dream” while dealing with the consequences of war. Saturday, May 5 / 6:30 pm / Tateuchi Democracy Forum

19 • #LAAPFF2018 DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION • 20 INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

Our International Narrative Feature Competition films offer narrative works which explore and reflect the stories of our time. We’re excited to bring you the best and most provocative cinematic voices from Asia and the diaspora.

JIMAMI TOFU OMOTENASHI Jason Chan, Christian Lee / Japan, Singapore / 2017 / 121 mins Jay Chern / Japan, Taiwan / 2018 / 96 mins A Chinese Singaporean chef travels to Okinawa to find the beautiful Jacky, heir to a Taiwanese construction company, is sent to a beauti- and caustic Japanese food critic who left him without a trace. This ful yet obsolete hotel in Kyoto to oversee its renovation in the hopes sumptuous meditation on memory and love is woven around the of selling. Unaware of his hidden corporate agenda, the innkeeper 100-year-old Okinawa Ryukyu Dynastic cuisine that holds the life suggests that he, along with her daughter, learns “omotenashi,” the medicine their broken hearts need to mend. virtue of traditional Japan. Watch this crowd-pleaser centered around Wednesday, May 9 / 6:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE cross-cultural relationships. Tuesday, May 8 / 6:45 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

KISS AND SPELL THE THIRD MURDER Stephane Gauger / Vietnam / 2017 / 113 mins Hirokazu Kore-eda / Japan / 2017 / 124 mins Tung is an up-and-coming magician who parties too much when his Marking a departure from his usual fare, Japanese auteur Hirokazu world is turned upside down by the mysterious Phuong. Romance Kore-eda concocts a riveting murder mystery. A top attorney takes on blossoms but is immediately disrupted by ghosts—which he also can the defense of a murder suspect who admits guilt, despite facing the now see! The last film of Vietnamese American filmmaker Stephane death penalty. But as he digs deeper into the case, the once confident Gauger, this delightful rom-com is a remake of the Korean film lawyer begins to doubt if his client is the murderer after all. SPELLBOUND. Thursday, May 10 / 9:00 pm / CGV Cinemas Thursday, May 10 / 6:30 pm / CGV Cinemas

NEOMANILA WARU Mikhail Red / Philippines, USA / 2017 / 101 mins Chelsea Cohen, Ainsley Gardiner, Casey Kaa, Renae Maihi, Awanui Since President Duterte’s election, the Philippines has been in the Simich-Pene, Briar Grace-Smith, Paula Whetu, Katie Wolfe / New grip of the “war on drugs,” where police use bounty hunters to kill Zealand / 2017 / 88 mins gangsters. Toto, a street orphan, is caught in the crossfire when he’s A small boy, Waru, dies at the hands of his caregiver, in this power- recruited by a notorious death squad in this noir-infused explosive ful and challenging story surrounding his “tangi” (funeral), delving thriller by one of the most exciting young voices in Filipino cinema. into how his death impacts the community. Directed by eight Māori Wednesday, May 9 / 9:15 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE women in single 10-minute takes, this mesmerizing tapestry pieces together a cohesive narrative from multiple perspectives. Tuesday, May 8 / 6:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

21 • #LAAPFF2018 INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION • 22 INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

Our International Documentary Feature Competition highlights new films and filmmakers from around the world. We look forward to bringing you films that exemplify the global multiplicity we live in.

ANGKAR THE CLEANERS Neary Adeline Hay / France / 2017 / 71 mins Hans Block, Moritz Riesewieck / Germany, Brazil / 2018 / 88 mins Filmmaker Neary Adeline Hay attempts to reconstruct her family’s— Social media sites — particularly Facebook and YouTube — are under and a country’s—past, accompanying her father Khonsaly as he intense pressure to monitor and delete offensive, pornographic, returns to Cambodia to meet his former Khmer Rouge persecutors in and incendiary posts; but what if it is considered art or protest? the village where they lived together for four years. Between past and Compassionately portraying the Filipino workers making these present, identities are revealed, forgotten spectres re-emerge, and decisions on thousands of online images, this illuminating film the story is finally told face-to-face. exposes the dark side of information technology. Preceded by THREE BOYS MANZANAR (Preeti Deb / 2017 / 7 mins) Monday, May 7 / 6:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE Saturday, May 5 / 3:00 pm / East West Players

BECOMING WHO I WAS LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING Jin Jeon, Moon Chang-Yong / India, South Korea / 2017 / 99 mins WANG STORY After a boy discovers that he is the reincarnation of a centuries-old, Frank W. Chen / Taiwan, USA / 2018 / 99 mins esteemed, high-ranking Tibetan monk, his godfather takes him on an Following the latter years of pitcher Chien-Ming Wang’s professional epic journey across India to discover his past in a story of profound baseball career, this is the story of a man who is unwilling to give faith and unconditional love. A poignant and charming portrait, this up and unable to let go, as told by those closest to him, examining crowd-pleaser won the Grand Prix at Berlin. his roles as an international player, a father, a son, and a reluctant Saturday, May 5 / 5:30 pm / East West Players national icon. Wednesday, May 9 / 6:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE

CHINA’S FORGOTTEN DAUGHTERS PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF DESIRE Meng Han, Vincent Du / China / 2017 / 70 mins Hao Wu / China, USA / 2018 / 95 mins Shot in a cinéma vérité style, one woman’s deeply personal journey In a digital universe where live streamers earn as much as $200K a challenges traditional notions of family and identity, revealing the month, can virtual relationships replace real-life human connection? wounds that 40 years of the One Child Policy has inflicted at the very Join two online stars doing just that—rising from isolation to heart of Chinese society. As Cai Fengxia searches for the biological fame and fortune in China. Brought together in a series of bizarre parents who abandoned her, can she reconcile both her own competitions, they discover that happiness in their virtual world may expectations and those of her family’s? be as elusive as in the real one. Catch this SXSW Winner by LAAPFF Preceded by DEAR MOTHER (Matthew Kaundart / 2018 / 5 mins) alumnus Hao Wu. Thursday, May 10 / 2:00 pm / CGV Cinemas (Free Screening) Saturday, May 5 / 6:30 pm / Downtown Independent

SINGING WITH ANGRY BIRD Hyewon Jee / South Korea / 2016 / 88 mins Five years ago, a Korean opera singer, a.k.a. Angry Bird, started a children’s choir in India. Frustrated by the lack of support from the parents, he decides to train the parents to sing for a joint concert. While it may be the toughest challenge of his life, the experience has a profound effect on the adults as well as the kids in this uplifting, feel-good doc. Thursday, May 10 / 10:00 am / CGV Cinemas (Free Screening)

23 • #LAAPFF2018 INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION • 24 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Pay special attention to our Special Presentations as we revisit stories from our heritage, history, and identities, and discover how they still hold true to the stories we try to tell today.

THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT OUT OF STATE Ric Burns, Li-Shin Yu / USA / 2017 / 160 mins Ciara Lacy / USA / 2017 / 79 mins Examine the origin, history, and impact of the 1882 law restricting Shipped thousands of miles away from the islands of to a pri- Chinese labor immigration into the . Screening on the vate prison in Arizona, two native Hawaiians discover their indigenous 136th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, watch this film before traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence. Upon release, it premieres as a special presentation of American Experience on PBS they struggle with life as formerly incarcerated men, asking the ques- SoCal on May 29 at 8:00 pm. Hosted by Center for Asian American tion: can you go home again? Media and the Chinese American Museum Preceded by MOVING WALLS (Sharon Yamato / 2017 / 25 mins) Sunday, May 6 / 6:30 pm / Tateuchi Democracy Forum Saturday, May 5 / 1:15 pm / Tateuchi Democracy Forum (Free Screening)

FIND YOUR VOICE PRISON FOOD Chris Herd / Australia, New Zealand / 2018 / 96 mins Aditya Thayi / Indonesia, Philippines / 2017 / 44 mins Elvis, an ambitious Maori rapper, returns to his native New Zealand Catch the first two episodes of this new original series by Discov- in a quest to explore his roots. He soon becomes lost on the road to ery Asia, as Filipino American Chef Johneric Concordia (Founder of fulfillment as love, culture, and cash collide. Featuring Adam Saunders local L.A. restaurant The Park’s Finest) heads to some of Asia’s most and Academy Award nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes (WHALE RIDER), notorious prisons to see what’s cooking behind bars. He meets the this film is a fun celebration of family and culture through a young inmates running the prison kitchens and discovers a hotbed of human man’s spiritual odyssey. ingenuity with food. Tuesday, May 8 / 9:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE Sunday, May 6 / 2:00 pm / East West Players

IT'S A PARTY PROOF OF LOYALTY Weldon Wong Powers / USA / 2018 / 78 mins Lucy Ostrander, Don Sellers / USA / 2017 / 55 mins Atlanta rapper Cory Masters is late for his own surprise birthday party. While PROOF OF LOYALTY: KAZUO YAMANE AND THE NISEI SOLDIERS OF his friends anxiously await his arrival, each friend addresses their own ex- HAWAII is about a Japanese American soldier who identified a secret istential crisis. Hilarity ensues amongst the party-goers as they ponder life, document that would significantly help America’s war in the Pacific. careers, and relationships with Cory. Get yo’ a** to the party. Follow this story of Yamane and his fellow Nisei soldiers as they Preceded by JUST A KID FROM SEATTLE (JJ Augustavo / 2017 / 20 mins) combatted prejudice and discrimination to loyally serve their country Wednesday, May 9 / 9:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE in World War II. Preceded by AMERICAN (Richie Adams / 2018 / 18 mins) Saturday, May 5 / 11:00 am / Downtown Independent

KULEANA SNEAK PEEK: A NEW DARK COMEDY Brian Kohne / USA / 2016 / 95 mins In a clash between Hawaiian values and the American dream, two BY H.P. MENDOZA childhood friends from Maui are faced with an important mission to H.P. Mendoza / USA / 2017 / 96 mins save their beloved island from a deceitful real-estate developer. The This special sneak peek, which will be attended by H.P. Mendoza two learn the most important lesson: kuleana (spiritual responsibility) and cast, is a "home for the holidays" dark comedy where a Filipino is not a burden; it is a privilege. American family plots to kill an abusive member. You won’t want to miss the advance screening of this laugh-out loud comedy before its Saturday, May 5 / 9:00 pm / Tateuchi Democracy Forum official release! Friday, May 4 / 9:30 pm / AMC Dine-in Sunset 5 (21+ ONLY VENUE)

25 • #LAAPFF2018 SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS • 26 20TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING SHORTS PROGRAMS

Our Shorts Programs – many of which showcase our prestigious Shorts Competition nominees – range over a wide scope of stories and expressions. From stories of distinctly local flavors to tales from faraway worlds, our selection of shorts offer a variety of urban, rural, and alternative perspectives.

BEYOND OUR MEMORIES Whether reflecting on a successful career, continuing traditions from home in a new country, or seeking a better tomorrow in their own way, these non-fiction portraits show that a life worth living creates more than just memories. — Sheryl Santacruz Thursday, May 10 / 3:45 pm / CGV Cinemas / 102 mins (Free Screening)

A SECOND CHANCE (Pom Bunsermvicha, Parinee Buthrasri /Thailand / 2017 / 18 mins) ALICE AT THE STORE (Christopher Woon-Chen / USA / 2017 / 18 mins) THE HUMAN FACE (Aline Pimentel / USA / 2017 / 14 mins) MR. LAU GOES HERBAL (Janet Chen / USA / 2018 / 7 mins) STRAWBERRIES WILL SAVE THE WORLD (Yoko Okumura / USA / 2017 / 6 mins) TAILORED TO FIT (Xin Li / USA / 2017 / 21 mins) WHY THE FOOLS DANCE MULAN: A SING ALONG (Benjamin Michel / Japan, USA / 2017 / 18 mins) Barry Cook, Tony Bancroft / USA / 1998 / 90 mins Fearful that her ailing father will be drafted into the Chinese military, Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) takes his spot — though, as a girl living under a patriarchal regime, she is technically unqualified to serve. She cleverly impersonates a man and goes off to train with fellow recruits. Accompanied by her dragon, Mushu (Eddie DISLOCATED SELF AND BEYOND Murphy), she uses her smarts to help ward off a Hun invasion, falling in love with a dashing captain along What constructs our identity? Interest? Passion? Culture? Race? the way. Or all of them? Watch as each of the protagonists enter their own journeys to explore the definition of themselves and others. Come to an outdoor screening and celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) and the — Annie Liang 20th Anniversary of Disney® favorite MULAN, as we sing along to its musical hits under the stars. Saturday, May 5 / 1:15 pm / Downtown Independent / 100 mins

Friday, May 11 / 6:00 pm / Park Center @ Griffith Park (Free Screening) FAKEAPINO (Jeremy Sistoso / USA / 2017 / 16 mins) FRENCHIES (Kuan-Fu Lin / Taiwan, USA / 2017 / 12 mins) Presented by Angry Asian Man, L.A. City Councilmember David Ryu, Kore Asian Media, Pacific Bridge Arts IRON HANDS (Johnson Cheng / China, USA / 2017 / 11 mins) MIMI (Jeffrey Hsueh / USA / 2017 / 2 mins) Foundation, and Street Food Cinema. OTHELLO-SAN (Theodore A. Adams III / USA / 2018 / 21 mins) THE TRAVELER TAKAMURE (Jing Niu / USA / 2018 / 16 mins) VISAGE (Blake Hodges, Jackson Tobiska / USA / 2017 / 10 mins) THE WEIGHT OFF MY CHEST (Emory Johnson / USA / 2018 / 12 mins)

27 • #LAAPFF2018 SHORTS PROGRAMS • 28 SHORTS PROGRAMS

FEMINIST AF TOO FROM VISION TO REEL: GENERASIANS What is Feminism? Does it mix well with Asian Culture and identi- GenerASIANS showcases the Asian and Asian American experience ties? Let's take an intersectional look on the artistic expression of over multiple generations from the point of view of young, emerging our cultural zeitgeist, as we explore female friendship, sexuality, filmmakers. These films represent the next generation of must-see beauty standard, and the violence we rise against. — Ariel Du Asian American and Pacific Islander talent. — Trent Nakamura Monday, May 7 / 9:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE / 99 mins Saturday, May 5 / 11:00 am / Tateuchi Democracy Forum / 73 mins (Free Screening) A GENTLE NIGHT (Qiu Yang / China, France / 2017 / 15 mins) SILENCE (Priyanka Singh / India / 2017 / 11 mins) COMFORT-ABILITY (Primi Akhtar / USA / 2014 / 6 mins) AN AMERICAN FAMILY FAIR & LOVELY (Jensine Raihan / USA / 2014 / 2 mins) (Truong Phan Kieu-Anh / USA, Vietnam / 2017 / 19 mins) HOME (Jennifer Marcelino / USA / 2016 / 5 mins) FIRST GENERATION (Jeannie Nguyen / USA / 2017 / 9 mins) CHANGYOU’S JOURNEY (Perry S. Chen / USA / 2017 / 5 mins) FUTURE PERFECT CONTESTANT #4 (Abigail Prade / Netherlands, USA / 2017 / 13 mins) (Kaj Palanca, Jared Joven / Philippines / 2016 / 18 mins) MIDNIGHT GIRL (Christina Yoon / USA / 2017 / 16 mins) HASU (Alayna Kobayashi / USA / 2017 / 9 mins) THE SHUTTLE (Lu Han / USA / 2017 / 16 mins) LIFE IN COLOR (Melody Chen / USA / 2018 / 9 mins) MOTHER TONGUE (Kristina Wong / USA / 2017 / 6 mins) PRESCRIPTION (Calvin Lam / USA / 2017 / 1 min) SUNNY (Sam Chung / USA / 2017 / 12 mins)

FOREVER ALONE (OR NOT) ITSY BITSY SHORTS Nobody wants to end up alone and unloved. And even if we might Love! Colors! Food! Dance! Dancing Food! This vibrant program feel like it sometimes, are we really? Bring someone with you to of animated films is geared towards the young (ages 3+) and the watch these films – or don't – we promise you won't be alone for young-at-heart. All ages, imaginations, and hungry bellies welcome. the ride. — Dorothy Xiao A special event for children will follow the screening immediately Sunday, May 6 / 4:30 pm / East West Players / 94 mins outside because we all know what happens when we make kids wait. — Jin Yoo-Kim & David Ngo 100TH BIRTHDAY WISH Saturday, May 5 / 10:00 am / Tateuchi Democracy Forum / 28 mins (Chien-Hung Lien / Taiwan / 2017 / 20 mins) (Free Screening) AKASHI (Mayumi Yoshida / Canada / 2017 / 10 mins) CLASS ASSIGNMENT (Mike Gan / USA / 2018 / 24 mins) FILL AND MOO (Toshiko Hata / Japan / 2017 / 8 mins) GRAY UMBRELLA (Mohammad Poustindouz / Iran / 2017 / 8 mins) FIRST BLOOM (Tingting Liu / China, USA / 2017 / 5 mins) SEEKING LOVE (Zach Gelman, Jack Mullinkosson / KONIGIRI-KUN SHOPPING United Kingdom, USA / 2017 / 10 mins) (Mari Miyazawa / Japan / 2015 / 5 mins) STARBUCKS LOVERS LAST DANCE (Peter Zhaoyu Zhou / USA / 2017 / 3 mins) (Joseph Ruggieri / USA / 2017 / 7 mins) SESAME STUDIOS “CELEBRATE LUNAR NEW YEAR!” THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS (Lizzi Akana / USA / 2017 / 2 mins) (Ryan Michael Connolly / USA / 2017 / 6 mins) WATER COLORS (Takashi Yoneoka / Japan / 2017 / 1 min) YOUR HAND IN MINE (Alice Park / USA / 2017 / 9 mins) THE WISHING CRANES (Ellen Arnold, Kaiya Telle, Thomas Anderholm / USA / 2017 / 4 mins)

29 • #LAAPFF2018 SHORTS PROGRAMS • 30 SHORTS PROGRAMS

MY SO-CALLED ADOLESCENCE PASIFIKAS We are resilient, stubborn, and reckless. We are sensitive, hesitant, and Aloha! Ki Ora! Talofa! Hafa adai! These shorts made by the First confused. We live in our own worlds but try to break into others’. As we Peoples of the Pacific represent a broad spectrum of themes and come across each other in this bittersweet symphony called youth, we genres that deal with love, loss, culture clashes and connections. slowly stumble into the bewildering future together. — Lanca Li These are films made by Pacific Islanders about Pacific Islanders. Monday, May 7 / 6:30 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE / 117 mins — Anderson Le Saturday, May 5 / 4:00 pm / Tateuchi Democracy Forum / 84 mins CYPHER (Lawrence Le Lam / Canada / 2017 / 20 mins) FUNDAMENTAL (Shih-Chieh Chiu / Taiwan / 2017 / 7 mins) AFTEREARTH (Jess X. Snow / USA / 2017 / 13 mins) LIONS IN WAITING (Jason Karman / Canada / 2017 / 17 mins) CULTURAL COLLAGE (‘Inoke Hafoka / USA / 2018 / 6 mins) MISS WORLD (Georgia Fu / Taiwan / 2017 / 20 mins) KA PIKO (Bryson Chun / USA / 2017 / 10 mins) POMMEL (Paris Zarcilla / United Kingdom / 2017 / 20 mins) LADY EVA (Dean Hamer, Joe Wilso / Tonga / 2017 / 11 mins) WONDER BUFFALO (Christine T. Berg / USA / 2017 / 19 mins) PRAISE SONG FOR OCEANIA YASAMIN (Julia Elihu / USA / 2017 / 14 mins) (Justyn Ah Chong / USA / 2017 / 5 mins) STRONG CULTURE (Jarryd O’Keefe / Australia, Vanuatu / 2017 / 3 mins) NIGHTCAP TAMA (Jared Flitcroft, Jack O’Donnell / New Zealand / 2017/ 9 mins) Closing a weekend of galas and events, drink up this fizzy nightcap WILDER PALMS (Bradley Tangonan / USA / 2017 / 12 mins) of something a little weird, sometimes scary, and wholly inappro- THE WORLD IN YOUR WINDOW priate with some old friends. — Sheryl Santacruz (Zoe McIntosh / New Zealand / 2016 / 15 mins) Sunday, May 6 / 9:30 pm / Downtown Independent / 95 mins

ANITO (Melanie Lim / USA / 2017 / 15 mins) SECOND GENERATION QUEER ASWANG NEXT DOOR (Bernard Badion / USA / 2017 / 6 mins) sec·ond-gen·er·a·tion – adj. The offspring of immigrants to a par- COSMIC DENTAL ASSOCIATES OF CLIFTON, NJ ticular country. Exploring the tension of navigating the cultural ex- (JP Chan / USA / 2016 / 3 mins) pectations of both a family from a foreign land and a society who GRIN (Tanuj Chopra / USA / 2017 / 11 mins) treats you like “other,” this collection of LGBTQ shorts celebrates HOME (Sanif Olek /Singapore / 2017 / 8 mins) the beauty and texture of intersectionality. — Sheryl Santacruz INN (Zion Chen / USA / 2017 / 4 mins) Tuesday, May 8 / 9:00 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE / 95 mins THE MASSEUSE (Tan Ce Ding / Malaysia / 2017 / 20 mins) RAKSHA (Meredith Koch / USA / 2016 / 20 mins) ABLUTION (Omar Al Dakheel / USA / 2017 / 15 mins) SPACE BUTTHOLE (David Chai / USA / 2017 / 8 mins) DAUGHTER (Amanda Lee / USA / 2017 / 5 mins) DECODING DARKMATTER (Crystal Waterton / USA / 2017 / 21 mins) HOÀI (ONGOING/MEMORY) THE NO SPIN ZONE (Quyên Nguyen-Le / USA / 2017 / 10 mins) Spinning a tale. Spinning a scandal. Spinning out of control. KHOL (OPEN) (Faroukh Virani / USA / 2018 / 12 mins) No matter how you spin it, go watch these films. — Kirby Peñafiel LIMBOLAND (Melanie Ramos / USA / 2017 / 18 mins) Saturday, May 5 / 9:00 pm / Downtown Independent / 96 mins MAYBE (Kat Cole / USA / 2017 / 10 mins)

RED (Yuchao Feng / USA / 2017 / 4 mins) AMERICAN DREAMING (Matthew Hashiguchi / USA / 2017 / 11 mins) THE DUWENDE (Odin B. Fernandez / Australia, Philippines / 2016 / 11 mins) HAIRCUT (Hanxiong Bo / China, USA / 2017 / 10 mins) IRONY (Radheya Jegatheva / Australia / 2017 / 8 mins) KILLINGS (Joseph Mangat / USA / 2017 / 10 mins) THE LOST (Neil M. Paik / USA / 2017 / 22 mins) XIN (Desha Dauchan / USA / 2017 / 12 mins) YOUR MOTHER (Mary Evangelista / Philippines, USA / 2017 / 12 mins)

31 • #LAAPFF2018 SHORTS PROGRAMS • 32 HBO APA VISIONARIES 2018

In a unique filmmaker support initiative between Visual Communications and HBO, we present the winning entries from the 2018 APA Visionaries Short Film Competition, in which Asian Pacific American artists bring to light their worlds, their visions, and their voices. – Abraham Ferrer Friday, May 4 / 7:00 pm / Directors Guild of America / 37 mins

JIEJIE Feng-I Fiona Roan / USA / 2017 / 15 mins Embarrassed by her un-American look, Fen betrays her younger sister on their first day at WE ARE A PROUD church, fueling an unprecedented outburst since their immigration. SPONSOR OF THE

2018 JUNE Huay-Bing Law / USA / 2017 / 12 mins Set on a Texas university campus during the LOS ANGELES 1950s, JUNE chronicles the experience of a young Chinese woman as she attends her ASIAN PACIFIC husband’s graduation reception. FILM FESTIVAL

REMITTANCE Maritte Go / USA / 2018 / 10 mins A Filipino cruise worker is abroad at sea and struggling to support her family back at home. One day, she finds out her son has gone to the hospital and her world falls to pieces when she can’t get in touch.

HBO APA VISIONARIES 2018 • 34 ARMED WITH A CAMERA VOL. 2018

Visual Communications is proud to guide the next generation of storytellers in visualizing their amazing stories through the Armed with a Camera Fellowship. Watch these films that range from a documentary about children born to Korean immigrant liquor store owners, to a narrative on growing up a Sikh child in America. – Milton Liu Wednesday, May 9 / 8:00 pm / Regal L.A. LIVE / 34 mins

6,000 MILES ILY Dawn Suhyun Shim / South Korea, USA / 2018 / 5 mins Jingyi Shao / USA / 2018 / 5 mins 6,000 MILES is a documentary about the relationship ILY, short for “I love you,” tells the story of a young between a mother and daughter with nothing in woman who moves to Los Angeles with dreams of common. After 30 years of indifference, the estranged becoming an actress. Told entirely through her social media posts, we watch as mother takes it upon herself late in life to learn about she faces challenges and triumphs, and meets her daughter’s passion for photography in an attempt someone who will change her life. to communicate with her.

BEAST LIQUOR STORE BABIES Johnson Cheng / USA / 2018 / 5 mins So Yun Um / USA / 2018 / 5 mins BEAST is a short documentary film exploring how LIQUOR STORE BABIES explores the intersecting street dance brought together a group of suburban lives of two friends and their liquor store owning Asian and Latino youths from Carson, . fathers. Director/star So Yun Um pulls from true-life Through dance, they found both brotherhood and experience, contrasting two sides of the same coin. liberation from their circumstances. She captures a candid look at how their lives and dreams are connected.

THE CARTOONIST WRECK IT RAJ Rajendra Thakurathi / USA / 2018 / 5 mins Varun Chopra / USA / 2018 / 5 mins After her relationship ends abruptly, a cartoonist, A preteen’s zany perspective of growing up whose head is always up in the clouds, must learn to awkward and ethnically different in suburban come down to earth. America.

HORNET’S REVENGE Jing Niu / USA / 2018 / 4 mins Hornet, the leader of an all-girl skate group, is working at her family’s restaurant when a customer ARMED WITH A CAMERA starts harassing her. Split between doing what she’s told and seeking vengeance, Hornet must come face IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY: to face with her own anger.

35 • #LAAPFF2018 ARMED WITH A CAMERA VOL. 2018 • 36 DIGITAL HISTORIES: OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD

Visual Communications’ Digital Histories program engages the passion of our elders to tell their stories in movie form. This year the seniors transformed an illness into a triumphant narrative, unearthed a forgotten jazz club in Little Tokyo, and explored how the first Japanese American Buddhist Taiko group came to be. – Gary Gabisan Sunday, May 6 / 1:00 pm / Aratani Theatre @ JACCC / 107 mins

ABANDONED FABRIC THE FINALE CLUB Kevin Shore / USA / 2018 / 6 mins Robert Shoji / USA / 2018 / 12 mins A bag of kimonos meant for the trash changed In 1946, a confluence of music, race, and politics the course of Sumi Foley’s life. Born in Osaka, led to a historic performance at The Finale Japan, Sumi was inspired by her grandmother who Club. Two jazz greats – Charlie Parker and Miles taught her how to sew and would delight her with Davis – played at the club when Little Tokyo was captivating bedtime stories. This film is a colorful Bronzeville and the Japanese American community journey of creativity, imagination, and family. was vanquished due to unfounded war hysteria.

THE ARTS DISTRICT HOLIDAY BOWL WITHOUT ARTISTS Mitchell Matsumura / USA / 2018 / 6 mins Steve Nagano / USA / 2018 / 7 mins The Holiday Bowl: a gathering place for a Forced Removal! Evictions! Evictions! Reminiscent community and a generation, where all peoples of the past, artists are being forced to move, came together in urban Los Angeles. It was a refuge “relocate,” after years of living and working in for the stresses of life. The community celebrated one of the first designated Artists-in-Residence its opening in 1958 until it closed in disbelief in buildings in Los Angeles. The new owners, a 2000. subsidiary of an international bank, of the Joannes Building, began the evictions immediately.

A CENTENARIAN PLUS SIX JEFF IMADA: BREAKING Michi Tanioka / USA / 2018 / 7 mins BARRIERS BY DESIGN Lillian Wong was born in 1912. Applying to college, Cory Shiozaki / USA / 2018 / 10 mins her heart was set on attending USC and her father Jeff Imada was a pre-med student at UCLA before decided to pay the higher tuition to educate a “girl.” an opportunity to work on a movie as an At USC, the Chinese Women’s Club invited Chinese created a totally different career choice. A road men from Cal Tech and that is when Lillian’s life not often taken by , the lure became more interesting. of working in the entertainment industry on screen set the stage for an entirely different occupation... stuntman.

DANCING THROUGH KINDNESS IS LITTLE TOKYO CONTAGIOUS, GIVING IS David Osako / USA / 2018 / 7 mins AN ADDICTION Late in life, a man is inspired by the annual Nisei Tracy Quan-Nichols / USA / 2018 / 6 mins Week Festival to reconnect with his roots by After volunteering to make costumes for learning various forms of Japanese dance. He her son’s school theatre production, a finds a legendary choreographer to teach him the returning Digital Histories filmmaker learns classical Japanese style. And he discovers Elvis that it is never too late to give. impersonators who teach him alternate forms of Japanese-American dance.

37 • #LAAPFF2018 DIGITAL HISTORIES: OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD • 38 DIGITAL HISTORIES: OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD

NOTE TO SELF TAIKO REFLECTIONS Carol Shubin / USA / 2018 / 5 mins Barbara Shore / USA / 2018 / 9 mins With a demanding schedule and mounting stresses, Johnny Mori and George Abe tell stories of how the 22-year old Casey struggles to balance responsibilities first Japanese American Buddhist Taiko group came while finding joy. Reflecting on her childhood to be, fifty years ago. Share in a lifetime of lessons, and be fed by the sounds of the shakuhachi and the memories, she discovers that happiness is a choice Taiko drum. and it’s the simple things that keep her grounded. This film is a reminder to never lose your inner child.

“ON MY HONOR…” BILL THE TRAVELING RICE POT SHISHIMA VOLUNTEER George Wada / USA / 2018 / 5 mins EXTRAORDINAIRE This is the story of a rice pot that became part of a Fran Ito / USA / 2018 / 6 mins family – observing their journey from East LA to the internment camps, being deported to Japan and With roots in El Pueblo, Los Angeles’ beginnings, Bill coming back to the US, and then being replaced by Shishima was incarcerated in Heart Mountain, WY modern technology. before becoming a boy scout and raising the daily flag. His upbringing and camp experiences led him to become a leader in the Japanese American community as a president, teacher, docent, tour guide, and quintessential volunteer. RAY ROCKS WITH HAIR, WITHIN THE OPEN DOORS TAP, AND HIP-HOP OF A SHINTO CHURCH Gerry Chow / USA / 2018 / 5 mins IN BOYLE HEIGHTS Ray Remo owns a friendly neighborhood hair salon in Irene Paul / USA / 2018 / 6 mins Sherman Oaks, California. When he’s not managing his A sense of place is experienced by walking through shop and caring for his clients, he’s pursuing his passion the open doors of a Shinto church located in Los for dance. At an age usually reserved for retirement, Ray Angeles’ Boyle Heights neighborhood and by looks forward to perfecting his tap and hip-hop moves meeting the head minister and church members. every week.

SAY YES TO YOUR HEART George Takaki / USA / 2018 / 10 mins A 79-year-old man wants to join a rock climbing DIGITAL HISTORIES IS gym but his granddaughter tries to dissuade him. They agree to a one-month trial. Disaster strikes PROUDLY SPONSORED BY: when Grandpa is stricken with shingles. After a six- month layoff and still feeling weak, Grandpa returns to the gym to either quit or persevere.

39 • #LAAPFF2018 DIGITAL HISTORIES: OUR STORIES, NOW TOLD • 40 SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN SEIKATSU ROOM

The 34th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival shines a light on the country of Taiwan, highlighting the best in Taiwanese cinema and the country’s rich culture and history that have shaped the island nation into one of the most dynamic countries in the Asia-Pacific Rim. This year, LAAPFF is honored to present two feature films — Jay Chern’s third feature film, OMOTENASHI, and Frank W. Chen’s documentary LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY. OMOTENASHI, from LAAPFF Award winner Jay Chern (THIEF, LAAPFF 2014), stars Edison Wang as Jacky, the young heir to a construction company in Taiwan. His father sends him to Kyoto to oversee the renovation of the beautiful yet obsolete Bright Moon Ryokan. Jacky is going in hopes to get back his ex-girlfriend Naoko and to sell the hotel. There, he meets the innkeeper Mistuko and her daughter Rika. Unaware of his hidden agenda, the innkeeper is excited about the idea of turning the hotel into a wedding venue, and suggests that Jacky learns "omotenashi,” the virtue of traditional Japanese hospitality LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY could be best described as a baseball version of LINSANITY. Directed by Frank W. Chen and produced by Brian Yang (coincidentally, who also produced the eponymous documentary), chronicles Taiwanese baseball player Chien-Ming Wang’s last ditch effort to be recruited back on a professional baseball team after a series of injuries disrupted his trailblazing career in the major leagues. In addition to these two features, this year’s spotlight also highlights the works of emerging Taiwanese filmmakers with three short films — 100th BIRTHDAY WISH by Lien Chien Hung, In Japanese social science, seikatsu ) is similar to livelihood; the conscious and MISS WORLD by Georgia Fu, and FUNDAMENTAL by Shih-Chieh Chiu. As LAAPFF is an (生活 non-submissive activity of ordinary people in shaping their lives. Join us for a special two-day Academy Award®-qualifying festival for Short Film Awards, perhaps these new directors will lineup of programming that celebrates the livelihood of communities. Each day is anchored one day be the next Ang Lee. with a program curated from the Visual Communications Archives – one of the largest photographic and moving image archives on Asian Pacific experiences in America.

The lineup will feature a range of visual histories, literary presentations, and live readings. The programs are built by a group of partners from the VC family: Christine Bacareza Balance (Afterlives of Martial Law), Abraham Ferrer (VC Archives), Tad Nakamura (Nikkei Democracy Project), Marie Jamora (Cinema Sala), and the Chinese American Museum.

For more info on films and the screening schedule, please visit festival.vconline.org.

The Seikatsu Room is presented at 341 FSN (formerly the Matsumura Gift Shop), on Historic First Street North.

Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6 / 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm / 341 FSN (Free Admission)

Sponsored by the Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council (Little Tokyo)

Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Republic of China (Taiwan) and Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles

41 • SPOTLIGHT ON TAIWAN SEIKATSU ROOM • 42 #ASAMCREATORROLLCALL INTERACTIVE

CORNER CINEMA 360 ° Saturday, May 5 / 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm / Japanese American National Museum (Free and Open to the Public) Immerse yourself in the story! Technology and storytelling intersect in these virtual reality experiences that put you at the center of the narrative. Expand your worldview with boundary-pushing works that celebrate AAPI experiences, not as a passive viewer, but as an active participant. THE EPISODICS Sunday, May 6 / 12:00 pm / East West Players A panel of Asian American filmmakers present their latest episodic projects and discuss this new and exciting avenue for content creators. After the screening, the conversation will center on developing and pitching episodic content, and panelists will share key insight for activating pilot screenings.

Presenters: SUSANE LEE AND ANDREW OLSEN susaneLand A dark comedic anthology revolving around the awkward misfortunes of a young Asian American woman.

X DEAN LIM First World Problems In the absence of real problems, a desperate father tries to prevent himself and his family from becoming douchebags.

JOSHUA FU Ching Chong Blues A darkly comedic anthology series that examines Asian-American identity.

VERA MIAO Two Sentence Horror Stories A horror series that taps into our universal primal fears in the digital age.

43 • #ASAMCREATORROLLCALL: THE EPISODICS MOTION PICTURE

EDITORS GUILD

PROUDLY SUPPORTS

Los Angeles

Asian Pacific

Film Festival

I.A.T.S.E. LOCAL 700 editorsguild.com • 323.876.4770 C3: THE CONFERENCE FOR CREATIVE CONTENT C3: CONFERENCE SCHEDULE presented by NIELSEN SATURDAY, MAY 5 / Starting at 10:00 am Japanese American National Museum THE 8TH EDITION OF C3: 10:00 am 2:45 pm THE CONFERENCE FOR FESTIVAL INDUSTRY BRUNCH WHERE ARE OUR APA FILM CRITICS CREATIVE CONTENT AT THE Sponsored by NIELSEN & JOURNALISTS? As conversations about representation in LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC (invited filmmakers and guests only) media capture headlines, the need for our FILM FESTIVAL! 12:00 pm own critical voices and perspectives to be heard becomes evermore salient. Join C3 connects industry professionals to create CRAZY | RICH | ASIANS dialogues on the ever-changing media LA Times film writer and LA Film Critics landscapes as we build a collective vision for Sponsored by Warner Bros & SAG-AFTRA Association member Jen Yamato, Deadline our creative communities. We’re excited to CRAZY RICH ASIANS is the first feature Hollywood associate editor Dino-Ray Ramos, bring the eighth edition of C3 to the opening length, major Hollywood production to African American Film Critics Association weekend of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific feature an entirely Asian and Asian American founder Gil Robertson, and more for a deep Film Festival, Saturday, May 5 at the Japanese SPONSORED BY cast. Join director Jon M. Chu, screenwriter dive into the current state of film critics of American National Museum. Adele Lim, and stars from the film for a color. Building off of our previous C3 Conferences conversation about the groundbreaking with an initial focus on content creative, production. 4:00 pm our latest edition spotlights innovators and DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK visionaries whose creative work advances 1:30 pm our industry and communities. Sponsored by NBCUniversal BUILDING US UP Talent Infusion Programs PRICING Sponsored by the Directors Guild of America Directors, showrunners, and talent discuss (All-Day Conference Pass) How do you become the agent of your own the evolving presence and visibility of South FREE to Badge Holders story? Industry-leading visionaries — Carrie Asians in film and television. $20 for Students, Seniors, & VC Members A Lozano (IDA), Sonya Childress (Firelight $25 for General Public Media), Senain Kheshgi (MAJORITY), and 5:15 pm Tilane Jones (ARRAY) — discuss what it THE STORIES WE TELL takes to create, build, and cultivate spaces Sponsored by Writers Guild of America West that reflect the specific career needs and An intimate conversation about what it takes challenges faced by women of color in film. to push the boundaries of television and broadcast content from Asian American showrunners at the top of their game.

7:00 pm #AsAmCreatorRollCall MIXER Presented by the Asian Pacific Filmmakers Experience Committee Opodz 362 E 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012 Cap off the Conference by celebrating our creators.

47 • #LAAPFF2018 C3 CONFERENCE • 48 PROUD SPONSOR of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and C3: Conference for Creative Content

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STAFF LIST VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ARTISTIC CONSULTANT MEDIA PRODUCTION & PRINT TRAFFIC MANAGER ART DESIGN & PRODUCTION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Anderson Le Kirby Peñafiel Michelle Roque, Program Guide Layout Designer Jodi Long, President Vivian Shih, Festival Key Artist Phil Yu, Vice President PRESS & PUBLICITY DIRECTOR PRINT TRAFFIC COORDINATOR Farrah Su Douglas Aihara, Treasurer David Magdael Laila Hajjali Jaclyn Wu Alison Chin Christina Chou PROGRAMMING MANAGER MEDIA PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE FESTIVAL TRAILER Hieu Ho Sheryl Santacruz Josaen Ronquillo Alice Hsieh, Animator Marissa Kitazawa Jaraad Nageer, Editor STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR David Kwan PROGRAMMING Rachelle Samson FESTIVAL TRAILER MUSIC Walt Louie Sumiko Braun "A Lil More (feat. Bambu)" by Otayo Dubb; produced by Clayton Yeung Francis Cullado SPONSORSHIPS & MARKETING COORDINATOR Fatgums, and Bass guitar by Chris "Bubba" Baylon. From the Francis Cullado Jiayi Ariel Du Janna Wang album, Cold Piece of Work, released by Beatrock Music on Abraham Ferrer EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR September 13, 2011. Used by permission. Jeremy Gaudette Francis Cullado Chanel Kong SPONSORSHIPS ASSOCIATE Yong-Yi Chiang PRESS & PUBLICITY ARCHIVES & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Anderson Le David Magdael & Associates, Inc. Abraham Ferrer Lanca Li Nathalie Cortes Annie Liang MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Elisha Gustafson DIGITAL HISTORIES MEDIA INSTRUCTOR Lindy Leong Ashley Lin Vince Johnson Gary Gabisan David Magdael Merissa Lauron Kirby Peñafiel GUEST SERVICES COORDINATOR GRANT WRITER | MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Benny Magdael Melanie Ramos Jaclyn Wu Ashley Lin David Magdael Sheryl Santacruz Francisco Sanchez ARMED WITH A CAMERA | FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS Ryan Wu COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR Milton Liu Dorothy Xiao Janna Wang Phil Yu SEIKATSU (生活) ROOM Eseel Borlasa, Program Coordinator STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR OPERATIONS MANAGER Christine Bacareza Balance (Afterlives of Martial Law) Rachelle Samson Program Curators Eseel Borlasa Christine Bacareza Balance (Digital Histories) Chinese American Museum OFFICE & FINANCE MANAGER Lennox Chaiveera Abraham Ferrer (Armed With A Camera) PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Susan Soohoo Abraham Ferrer (VC Archives) Gary Gabisan (Digital Histories) Ryan Fukuda Milton Liu (Armed With A Camera) Marie Jamora (Cinema Sala) BRANDING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Trent Nakamura (From Vision to Reel) Tad Nakamura (Nikkei Democracy Project) VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Dorothy Xiao Tina Takemoto Farrah Su Guest Curators Interns C3: THE CONFERENCE FOR CREATIVE CONTENT Micki Davis Melody Chen Tracy Nguyen-Chung, Conference Producer Jin Yoo-Kim BOX OFFICE MANAGER Jonathan Laluces David Ngo Yosilu Chen Brian Kohaya C3 PANELISTS & MODERATORS (AS OF 4/13) Claire Aguilar PROGRAM COORDINATORS BOX OFFICE ASSOCIATES FESTIVAL STAFF Sonya Childress Udval Altangerel Nichole Alvarez EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jon M. Chu Elaine Dolalas Matthew Fernandez Francis Cullado Senain Kheshgi Emory Johnson Marco Juarez Tilane Jones Lindy Leong Traci Lee FESTIVAL ADMINISTRATION Priscila Alegría Núñez SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER Adele Lim Eseel Borlasa Sultankazy Pirzhan uulu Tammy Borrero Dino-Ray Ramos Emory Johnson Gil Robertson Chanel Kong RECEPTION MANAGER PROGRAM ASSOCIATES Naren Shankar Anderson Le Susan Soohoo Jonathan Laluces Jen Yamato David Magdael Brian Kohaya Kirby Peñafiel BRANDING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Rachelle Samson Dorothy Xiao Sheryl Santacruz Janna Wang COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATES Dorothy Xiao Katherine Aranda Melody Chen Arielle Bagood Lailanie Gadia Lennox Chaiveera

55 • #LAAPFF2018 STAFF LIST • 56 SPECIAL THANKS DEMOCRACY WILL BREAK YOUR HEART. Akemi Kondo Dalvi Grant Sunoo, LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER Randy Masada, LT VIBES Alan Kondo Hannah Yang Rebecca Zada, HBO Alan Ohashi, VC FOUNDER Hieu Ho, BUZZFEED Renee Tajima-Peña Alex Kim Hiro Matsui, ASAHI Rex Carlson, FIRST STREET CUISINE Alison Chin, PARAMOUNT Historical Neighborhood Cultural Council Rey Luna, HBO Alison De La Cruz, Ivy Tseng, TAIWAN ACADEMY Richmond Jimenez, JAPANESE AMERICAN CULTURAL & COMMUNITY CENTER Jaclyn Lee, PASSION PLANNER PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM Amy Kato Janet Chen, UCLA CENTER FOR Risa Oyama, MIYAKO HOTEL Andrew Ahn, BOO’S PHILLY CHEESESTEAK ETHNOCOMMUNICATIONS Robert & Wende Lee, PRINT SPOT Andrew Cave, Janice D. Tanaka Robert Nakamura, VC FOUNDER PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM Janice Pober, SONY Ron Fong Andy Lowe, EAST WEST PLAYERS Jaren Bonillo, CALIFORNIA ARTS COMMISSION Rosemary Danon Angelia Trinidad, PASSION PLANNER Jason and Mayumi Easton, MY RAMEN BAR Ryan Suda, BLACKLAVA Annie Choi, FOUND COFFEE Jason McLagan S. Leo Chiang Asian American Documentary Network Jax Deluca, Sara Metz, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS Ava Goldson, HBO NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE ARTS Scott Oshima, SUSTAINABLE LITTLE TOKYO Axel Caballero, HBO Jeanmarie Hance, METRO Senain Kheshgi, MAJORITY Benny Magdael, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Jen Yamato, Siobhan Collins, LA COLOMBE COFFEE Britney Borlasa Jennie Cheng, CITY NATIONAL BANK Sonya Childress, FIRELIGHT MEDIA Carol Onaga, JAPANESE AMERICAN CULTURAL & Jennifer Kim, IW GROUP Stephen & Patty Nagano COMMUNITY CENTER Jim Herr Stephen Gong, CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN MEDIA Cat Rotunno, SONY Jodi Long Steven J. Kung Catherine Park, GIANT ROBOT Joe Smoke, DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS Street Food Cinema Chace Kim, CGV CINEMAS Joel Jacinto Susan Jin Davis Chance & Boggs Johneric Concordia, THE PARK’S FINEST Susu Attar Charles Hernandez, AMC DINE-IN SUNSET 5 Jonathan Hale, INVENTIVE LIGHTING Tadashi Nakamura Charles Van Houten Joyce Chuk, SUN NOODLE Tae Hong, KORE ASIAN MEDIA Chris Araquel, THE PARK’S FINEST Justin Saka, LT VIBES Tak Suzuki, LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER Christina Chou, CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY Karen L. Ishizuka Talia Gibas, LOS ANGELES COUNTY ARTS COM- Christine Balance Karla Lozano, HBO MISSION Christopher Hiti, SIMPLEDCP Kasey Farrar, TIGER BEER Tammy Borrero, UCLA LUSKIN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC Cindy Oda Kent Matsuoka AFFAIRS Claire Aguilar, INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY Kiyomi Emi, CENTER Tim Webber, DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA ASSOCIATION THEATRE GROUP Tina Takemoto Clayton Campbell Kristin Fukushima, LITTLE TOKYO COMMUNITY Vince Johnson, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Clayton Yeung, NIELSEN COUNCIL Walt Louie, FLASH CUTS Clement Hanami, JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL Kristine Delacruz, CREME CARAMEL MUSEUM Krizia Mendenilla & Jason Espiritu, OKI POKI Courtney Miller, HBO Kuniharu Yoshida Dan Kwong Kyra Lewis, HBO Darrien Gipson, SAGINDIE LA City Councilmember David Ryu, District 4 A PLAY WITH A MUSICAL Daryn Wakasa Lani Monos, SONY David Kwan Lauren & Ryu Tanabe, DEGUCHI GRAPHICS David Magdael, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES & FAMILY’S BEEF Dean Matsubayashi, LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE Leslie Ito, JAPANESE AMERICAN CULTURAL & CENTER COMMUNITY CENTER Dennis Amith Lilian Wouters, JINS EYEWEAR Dino-Ray Ramos, Linda Ngay, KORE ASIAN MEDIA DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD Lisa Dosch, MPEG DJ Icy Ice Mai Tran-Lanza, WGAW Dominique Miller, LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER Mari Nakazawa, MEIJI FOODS Dominique Robinson, HBO Marie Jamora Don Tahara Marissa Kitazawa Douglas Aihara Marvin Yueh, KOLLABORATION Duane Kubo, VC FOUNDER Masashi Niwano, CENTER FOR ASIAN AMERICAN Eddie Wong, VC FOUNDER MEDIA Edmund Soohoo Mayra Ocampo, DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA Elaine Dolalas, THIS FILIPINO AMERICAN LIFE Maysie Hoy PODCAST Mayumi Watanabe, MIYAKO HOTEL Elisha Gustafson, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Merissa Lauron, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Elizabeth Lim, JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL Michael Francisconi, WOLF AND CRANE Music and MUSEUM Michael Hernandez, AEG Play and Lyrics by Additional Lyrics by Choreography by Directed by Ellen Huang, SAG-AFTRA Michelle Ko Emmy Yang, TAIWAN ACADEMY Michelle Sugihara, CAPE David Henry Jeanine Sam Leigh Eric “Fatgums” Strand, BEATROCK MUSIC Miguel Sevilla, ABS-CBN INTERNATIONAL Eric Lo, CITY NATIONAL BANK Mini Timmaraju, COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAl Hwang Tesori Pinkleton Silverman Erick Alvizures, SAG-PRODUCERS IACF Minjoo Choi, CGV CINEMAS Ernest Kerr, KERR & ASSOCIATES Mitsuko Brooks, LITTLE TOKYO SERVICE CENTER Estella Tran & Sally Tsoi, THE FREEZIN’ POINT Nathalie Cortes, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Estevan Montemayor Nina Shi, IW GROUP Florante Ibanez Pam DiMaria, CITY NATIONAL BANK Francisco Sanchez, DAVID MAGDAEL & ASSOCIATES Peter Gonzaga, PACIFIC RIM PHOTO VIDEO PRESS Gary Gabisan Phil Yu, ANGRY ASIAN MAN George A. Okamoto Philip Sokoloski, FILMLA Giselle Tongi, TANDUAY RUM Quan Phung Grace Borrero Moss,NBCUNIVERSAL Rachel Noguchi, CITY NATIONAL BANK

AHMANSONTHEATRE.ORG I 213.972.4400 JUN MAY 03- 10 Pictured: Conrad Ricamora 57 • SPECIAL THANKS VC MEMBERS AND DONORS Visual Communications is a full-service media arts organization serving our Asian Pacific American communities Judy Sugimoto Noreen Ikeuye Zula Damdin Michelle year-round. Our programs are only possible through the support of many VC Members and individual donors. Julia Chang Norman Tamanaha Landi-Steinberg Julia Wong Patric Yoshinaga <$50 Michelle We would like to acknowledge our awesome contributors! (from April 1st, 2017 to April 1st, 2018) Julie Cho Patrick Chen Ada Yeh Murray-Montijo Julie Ha Pauline Shimizu Adrienne Muira-Oka Mike Batista Julie Nishioka Peggy Uyeda Aileen Kozaki Monica Makiyama $25,000+ Amy Hill Donna Mori Roger & Dee Shiohama Jun Okimoto Peter Chen Aileen Lok Nathan Trumbull Aratani Foundation Arthur Dong Dorothy Xiao Janet Mitsui Brown Denise Carroll June Hibino Phil Yee AJ Calomay Omar Vasquez George A. Okamoto Carol Yoshida Duc Nguyen Rommel Mendoza Denise Yamamoto Junie Obi Philip Chung Alan Shibata Pat Chow Caroline Tsaw Edith Lim Sandy & Tracy Okida Dennis Kobata Karen Umemoto Phillip Lee Andrea Martinez Patrick Sakasegawa $10,000+ Catherine Lee Edwin Li Steven Wallace Dennis Murata Karie Itano Phoebe Miyamoto Ava Azizi Patty Kasadate Asian Pacific David Osako Eric Kurimura Steven Wasserman Diane Tan Kathie Louy Ping Wu Bianca Armbruster Peggy Tom Community Fund Dennis Wong Erica Mu Steven Wong & Doug Iwanaga Kathria Tizon Ray Sugimoto Bob Hom Randy Makiyama SAG-Producers IACF FIA Insurance Eurie Chung Leslie Ito Dr. Greg Kimura Kathryn Hempel Raymond Sakai Bobby Watanabe Reynaldo Culannay Services Faroukh Virani Sudarat Musikawong Eileen Kurahashi Kathy Fujita Reiko Oshima Bonnie Dias Richard Kaku $5,000+ Glenn Omatsu Frances & Amber Ito Susan Oda Omori Elaine Harada Kay Niizawa Richard Iizuka Burt Iwata Rick Oka David Kwan H. Chris Taga Gail Yasunaga Tadashi Nakamura Elizabeth Stanley Kazuko Deguchi Richard Katsuda Chelsea Sik Rob Oka James & Jennie Lew George Takaki Tadashi Nakase Ellen Shinkai Kazumi Kame Richard Wong Cheryl Hing Robi Shibao $2,500+ Tugend George Wada Takashi Fujii & Emily Chang Ken Hankawa Richard Yamasaki Cheryl Idemoto Rom Lim Akemi Kondo Dalvi James Herr Glenn Suravech Nancy Spiegel Emily Lehrer Kenny Aoki Richard Yoshino Chiemi Watanabe Ron Chiya Alan & Ruth Kondo James Hong Glenn Togawa Valerie Matsumoto Ernie Masumoto Kenny Kohler Rick Katsuki Connie Oh Ron Yoshioka David Magdael Cindy Oda Grace Lee Esther Thompson Kim Fujimura Robert Factor Dane Morinaka Roni Iwata Douglas & Chris Janet Ito Grace Moss $50+ Ev Kita Kimi Maru & Robert Winn Dee Ishida Roy Kobashigawa Aihara Jeanette Wong Grant & Mine Alan Endo Fatimah Tobing Rony David Monkawa Robynn Takayama Donna Anami Roy Kozaki Edmund & Susan Jenny Tugend Tsugawa Alan Lee Fern Iwata Kizuna Little Tokyo Ron Chow Donna Yoshioka Rumiko Ota Soohoo Joanne Sakai Hubert Cheng Amy Lew Forrest Nishioka Kris Nakasu Ron Hamaguchi Doug Tambara Scott Muragishi Jodi Long Kathy Tokudomi Jan Fukuhara Andy Shimazaki Frances Matsumoto Kyle Lau Ron Kita Ed Lee Sharon Shibata Karen L. Ishizuka & Ken Wada Janice D. Tanaka Ann Kaneko Fred Fulcher Lailanie Gadia Ron Mizufuka Elizabeth Haugon Stef Fukuzawa Robert Nakamura Kenyon Chan Jeanne Tong Ann Tsugawa Gabe Esparza Larry Quan Ron Yamasaki Eugene Chow Steve Yokota Maysie Hoy Kyle & Kimberly Jeff Dohzen Anne Nakao Gary Itano Larry Shiohama Roy Furuto Eugene Moy Susan Kawashima Phil Yu & Joanna Lee Harimoto Jeff Liu April Horino Gary Takamatsu Lawrence Hashima Ruth Watanabe Florence Kang Susie Yanagata Quan Phung & Lewis Kawahara Jeff Man Arlene Ito Gayle H. & Leiton Hashimoto Sandi Kato Frank Ishida Ted Yamada Michelle Ko Maciek Kolodziejczak Jeffrey Chin Arlene Sato Craigton B. Wong Leland Lau Sandi Maehara Gail Kawato Tod Fukuzawa Rosemary Danon Michi Tanioka Jennifer Phang Barbara Higashi Geoff Yamamoto Lillian Nishihara Sandra Chang Gale Muragishi Tom Watanabe Walt Louie & Cheryl Mina T. Son Jeremy Gaudette Barbara Kawahara George Nakata Linda Mizufuka Sandy Itatani Gary Ching Tracy Nguyen-Chung Yoshioka Kenji Oda Jessika Lawrence Barbara Poppy Georgia Lee Linda Sonoda Scott Lehrer Gil Ishizu United Way Noriaki Ito Joanne Cabanting & Kwong Glen Nishinaka Linda Tanamachi Scott Okamoto Glenn Higashi Wes Shigio $1,000+ Patricia Richardson Johann Diel Bessie Chin Greg Kimura Linda Ukita Scott Shinmoto Grace Shen York Lok Bruce & Joy Paul Shishima John Akahoshi Besty Kawahara Guy Campbell Lindsey Miyamoto Sharon Lee Harold Lim Yumiko Goller Morimoto Peter & Tina Chow John Esaki & Betty Jung Hanna Go Lynn Yada Sharon Omi Helena Falangus George Takei Pyong Kong Amy Kato Bob Fulton Harlan Hayshida Malcolm Chung Sharon Tsukemoto Hideo Hirata Gerald Chow Qris Yamashita & Kalpna Singh-Chitnis Brandon Shim Harry Furuya Margie Chong Shelli Miyashita Intae Kim Gwen Yamasaki Chris Komai Kelvin Yee Bryan Grielbenou Hedemi Fulcher Marian Kubota Shelly Shinmoto Jack Lew Michael Skolnik Renee Tajima-Peña Kenneth T. & Carol Hiroto Helen Ota Marie Masumoto Sheryl Murata Jan Fukumoto Rose Burton S. Leo Chiang Ruby Maya Carol Nakauchi Hitochi Morimoto Marilyn Fujii Shiley Asao Jan Yokota Russell Hiroto Sharon Yamato Kien Vuu Carol Takafuji Hitomi Nishinaka Mark Jue Stanny Oishi Jane Murakami Soham Mehta Kip Fulbeck Carolyn Carrera Iku Kiriyama Marsha Hamamoto Steve Ishii Jayne Ngo Tenaya Senzaki Stephanie Huie Kitty Lew Cassandra Chae Irene Takamatsu Martin Uyeda Sue Endo Jeannie Morinaka Yaeko Aihara Stephen Gong Krystle Tabujara & Cathy Okita Jan Katsuki Mas Naito Sue Kato Jen Lucero Yvonne & Alan Nishio Steve & Patty Nagano Tim Kiefer Cathy Tanaka & Jan Kumuro Mas Tomita Sue Nuno Jeremy Sistoso Vanessa Joe Larry Furukawa Gerald Fukui Jan Murata Mee Quan Susumu Kimura Jessica Bolton $500+ William & Denice Hoy Linda Maram Charlene Morimoto Jane & Howard Boltz Melissa Tong Takayo & Sy Fischer Jim Lau Alvin & Marsha Lloyd & Tazuko Inui Chris Kohler Janet Chen Michael Caigoy Terest Iizuka Jim Morishige Wakasa $100+ Lloyd Kajikawa Chris Mori Janice & John Yen Michael Chiu Thomas Louie John Murakami Anthony Cookson Akira Boch Loren & Chris Tashima Janice Park Michael Yamada Tim Chiou Johnson Cheng Carol Tanita Alexandra Hsu Myrna Nakamura Christine Balance & Janie Nakata TIm Itatani Jojo Hirose Christina Chou Anderson Le Lucy Burns Gary Gabisan Jasmine Trice Michi Tamanaha Tim Lounibos Joy Chiya Clayton Yeung & Anthony Lee Maria Soccor Christine Hankawa Jason Katman Mickey Matsumoto Timmy Louie Kathleen Luevano Sam Lucas Barbara Shore Mark & Christopher Lam Jean Shiota Mike Miyashita Tony Quon Kathy Watanabe & Brian Yang Kathy Masaoka Clyde Iwata Jeff Hiroto Mike Obi Tosh Shimada Ken Anami Peter A. Tulipan Carrie Morita Masao Kodani Colleen Ikeuye Jeff Imada Milton Liu Tracey Okubo Kiku Kobashigawa Evelyn Yoshimura & Casimiro Tolentino Michael Peskura Craig Tsukemoto Jeff Mcdonald Mindy Fu Trudy Yee Laraine Miyata Bruce Iwasaki Cecilia Hyoun N.J. Nakamura Dan Kato Jennifer Chau Miya Iwataki Tyo Jones-Hidalgo Larissa Pruett Henry Chan Charlie Hsu Nancy Gohata Dan Nakauchi Jennifer Yoon-Mejia Monica Esparza Valerie Ito Laura Nix Janice Tanaka Dan Kuramoto Naomi Hirahara Daryn Wakasa Jerry Fukui Monica Yoshinaga Venus Borden Linda Nishikawa Jeff Furamura David Kono Neal Yahata Dave Miyakawa Jess Carrera Moshi Kimura Viki Goto Lu Tambara Lindsay Miyamoto Deanne Sakaguchi Nicole Dave Yada Jessica Ju Nancy Kodama Vince Cruz Mainak Dhar Robert Takahashi Derek Mio Vandelaar-Battjes David Kent Yada Joanne Ishii Nancy Ma Vivian Matsushige Marlene Ching Dinh Thai Pamela Tom David Ngo & John Kambe Nancy Yap Wade Utsunomiya Matt Detisch $250+ Dom & Sachiko Rajiv Shah Jin Yoo-Kim Joyce Furuya NaRhee Ahn Wayne Nagao Mei Ong Albert Aubin Magwili Ren Hanami David Okita Joyce Tanimoto Neil Kaapuni Wayne Shimizu Melissa Bisagni Akemi Kikumura Yano Donna Ebata Robert Shoji David Tanimoto Judy Chang Nolan Maehara Wendy Aihara

59 • #LAAPFF2018#LAAPFF2018 VC MEMBERS AND DONORS • 60 BECOME A VC MEMBER ABOUT VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

A VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS MEMBERSHIP IS A REWARDING WAY TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND OUR PROGRAMS. VC Members are a community of creators and supporters who champion the spirit of Asian Pacific American stories in film and media. There are various VC Membership levels to suit your ability to give, and a portion of each contribution is tax deductible. LEARN MORE AT VCONLINE.ORG/MEMBERSHIP

STUDENT $30 (proof of enrollment required) SPONSOR $250 • Same benefits as FRIEND level • SUPPORTER level benefits Our mission is to develop and support the voices of Asian • Six (6) LAAPFF regular screening tickets SUPPORTER $50 American & Pacific Islander filmmakers and media artists who • Two (2) LAAPFF tickets to • Subscription to VC’s weekly newsletter empower communities and challenge perspectives. Founded in Opening or Closing Night • Invitation to members-only screenings • One (1) LAAPFF badge - priority seating 1970 with the understanding that media and the arts are powerful • Discounts on tickets, events, and merchandise PATRON $500 forms of storytelling, Visual Communications creates cross • Recognition on VC website • SUPPORTER level benefits cultural connections between peoples and generations. • Eight (8) LAAPFF regular FRIEND $75 screening tickets • SUPPORTER level benefits • Two (2) LAAPFF Opening Night tickets • Two (2) LAAPFF regular screening tickets Our programming includes: the annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival • Two (2) LAAPFF Closing Night tickets and year-round screenings and exhibitions; the Armed With a Camera Fellowship FILMMAKER $125 • One (1) LAAPFF badge - priority seating for Emerging Media Artists; the Digital Histories media production and • SUPPORTER level benefits • One (1) complimentary copy of 2018 storytelling project for senior citizens; and C3: The Conference for Creative • Four (4) LAAPFF regular screening tickets Armed With a Camera or Digital Histories Content. We are home to the VC Vault, one of the largest photographic and • One (1) LAAPFF badge - priority seating DVD • Waived LAAPFF film submission entry fee moving image archives on Asian Pacific experiences in America. BENEFACTOR $1,000 • Access to apply for 501(c)(3) nonprofit • SUPPORTER level benefits status through VC’s Fiscal Sponsorship • Two (2) LAAPFF Festival Passes WANT TO LEARN MORE? VISIT VCONLINE.ORG • Discounted access to VC facilities and • One (1) LAAPFF badge - priority seating equipment • One (1) complimentary LAAPFF tote bag • One (1) complimentary copy of 2018 Armed With a Camera DVD • One (1) complimentary copy of 2018 Digital Histories DVD

61 • BECOME A VC MEMBER ABOUT VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS • 62 STAY CONNECTED TAG US VISIT US

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