SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ABOUT US

Founded in 1973, OCA is a national organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) in the United States. Established in 1979, the OCA-Greater Houston Chapter (OCA-GH) is one of OCA’s 100+ chapters and college affiliates, with a long track record of programs and initiatives that work to advance the four main goals of the OCA mission statement:

- to advocate for social justice, equal opportunity, and fair treatment - to promote civic participation, education, and leadership - to advance coalitions and community building, and - to foster cultural heritage

OCA-GH is a volunteer-driven organization of community advocates that strives to meet the current and evolving needs of a diverse population through comprehensive programs targeting different life stages and needs of AAPIs. The board members, along with key community volunteer members, work to fundraise, implement programs, and monitor national and local policy positions and initiatives to better advocate for the community.

OCA-GH works on local initiatives that empower the AAPI community including leadership training, education workshops, culture, arts, and advocacy aware- ness, legal clinics, internships, scholarships, mentoring, and civic engagement. OCA-GH programs impact the next generation to seek leadership roles. The annual Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival (HAAPIFEST) & Arts Night is an OCA-GH community event which strives to promote and edu- cate the community on AAPI experiences and highlight AAPI talent in the arts.

Through the various events encompassing HAAPIFEST, OCA-Greater Houston partners with community organizations to raise awareness of the history and culture of AAPIs. During HAAPIFEST, participants also have the opportunity to meet film directors, screen writers, actors and actresses, and artists. PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the 17th Annual Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival! On behalf of our Board of Directors, organization members, and volunteers, I thank you for joining us this year. This event would not have been possible without the many hours of volunteer work by the HAAPIFEST Committee and Volunteers Crew, as well as the support of our sponsors and community partners.

OCA-Greater Houston started the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival 17 years ago because we felt film personified ‘edu-tainment’, entertainment that also educated our community on important social issues and highlighted the richness of the AAPI experience. The emotional and visu- al impact of film as an expression of the creativity of individuals is the perfect medium which allows us to appreciate the diversity of the AAPI community and the commonalities we share. As we work to develop leaders of tomor- row, we want to continue cultivating individuals in all science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields emphasizing the arts and media. We hope you will join us to enjoy this year’s selections of films, and come support Asian American Pacific Islander artists and filmmakers.

If it is your first time attending HAAPIFEST, “Welcome!”, and if you are a re- turning visitor, “Welcome back!”. We hope to see you again!

Sincerely,

HC Chang

President, OCA-Greater Houston FESTIVAL DIRECTORS’ MESSAGE

Hi! My name is Jessica Kong and on behalf of OCA-Greater Houston and the 2021 Committee, I would like to welcome you to the 17th annual film festival, HAAPIFEST.

It is an honor to be the Festival Director again. Of course, everyone imagined we’d be back in person this year, but these are definitely unprecedented times. We are fortunate that our platform allows us to continue our work, even if it is virtual. We have had the privilege of connecting with filmmakers from all over the world, as well as supporting the artists in our own backyard, and we look forward to sharing each of their stories with you this year.

Last year was especially difficult...the whole world went on lockdown and even the simplest tasks had their challenges. But if there is one thing our past has taught us, it is that we acknowledge, we adapt, and we rise above it.

This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building represent- ing the diverse Asian groups within our city. Like raising a building, we wanted to show that support comes from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and looking toward the horizon for a brighter future.

OCA offers many programs and resources throughout the year. What makes HAAPIFEST different? Why do we continue our work? The reason we do this festival is because we want other people to understand that Asian stories are not just our stories. They are other communities’ stories as well.

So I hope that as you watch these films, you keep an open mind and give yourself to the emotions you feel after watching them. If the subject matter challenges you, then seek answers. If the stories move you, follow where they take you.

So take this journey with us and please enjoy the festival. WELCOME TO HAAPIFEST!

In solidarity,

Director Jessica Kong 2021 HAAPIFEST COMMITTEE

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR JESSICA KONG INTERNS

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ALBERT TINAY, ANGEL HUANG DEBBIE CHEN

Q&A TEAM SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER/Q&A TECHNICAL COORDINATOR JACK MORILLO, JESSICA MARIA DURAN SUN, MARK CHOI, LYNN KAWARATANI, KIRSTEN STRAYER A/V MANAGER

EUGENE LEE GRAPHIC ARTIST

BANANMILK PROGRAMMING COMMITTEE

KENT TONG, REN TEA, PROGRAM BOOKLET DESIGNER STEPHANIE CARD, DAVID MATUSCHAK, ALMA NGUYEN LEE ZAVALA, ABBY TRINO, AUDREY PAN OUR JUDGES & ARTIST

JUDGE LUIS CHEN

Luis M. Chen was born in Taiwan. As a teenager, he immigrated to Paraguay, relocated to San Jose, California, and joined the United States Army. He served two years of active duty in San Antonio, Texas, thereafter, he joined the Army Reserves back home in California. He then moved to Honolu- lu, Hawaii and joined the Queen Emma Hawaiian Civic Club Choir. Luis settled in Houston and this began Luis’ interest and involvement with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) representation and promotion. In 2016, Luis created a foodie meet- up event known as the Chinatown Crawl. In 2017, Luis started his career at Comcast and he and a few colleagues founded the Asian Pacific American (APA) ERG Houston Chapter for Comcast. He also serves on the Board of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA). Since the CoVid-19 pandemic ceased all in-person activities, Luis learned new ways to promote AAPI culture and diversity, by pivoting to virtual events. JUDGE AARTI PATEL

Aarti Patel is an incoming freshman at Univer- sity of Southern California where she will be studying set design at the Massman Theater School of Dramatic Arts. She has created a short documentary film about the Sugar Land 95 where she understood the power of story- telling and the impact it can have on the com- munity. Aarti hopes to one day create her own stories through art direction in film, television, and music. OUR JUDGES & ARTIST

JUDGE KRISHNA NARRA

Krishna Narra is an actor/filmmaker who has been with HAAPIFEST for the past year years, both as a judge and as an emcee. He loves APA narratives and is highly passionate about sharing our stories. He is currently the co-host of the podcast NRI-Not Really Indian and is currently working on producing a pilot pitch short film called “To All The Girls I Loved Before.”

ARTIST BANANMILK

Hi, I’m Sara, aka @bananmilk_. I’m a Junior High student, and I love to make art and animations. I wish to become a successful digital artist, and to inspire others with my art work. FESTIVAL THEMES MAIN THEME: RAISING COMMUNITIES

This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building representing the diverse Asian groups within our city. Like raising a building, we wanted to show that support comes from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and looking toward the horizon for a brighter future.

SUBTHEMES

THURSDAY JUNE 3: RAISING AWARENESS

This past year has challenged each of us on both an individual and collective level. With the world slowly opening back up, it is time for us to work together and raise awareness to some of the lowlights that occurred during the pandem- ic - national healthcare supply shortage, gun violence, and anti-Asian discrimi- nation. By acknowledging them, we can then move forward and provide realistic solutions toward combating them.

FRIDAY JUNE 4: RAISING YOUTH

Not everyone is ready to start a family. Children constantly need affirmation at every stage in their life, which often come from the guardians that raise them. Until they grow to an age where they can manage themselves, it is up to the adults in their lives to protect them and preserve their livelihood.

SATURDAY JUNE 5: RAISING VOICES

Words are very powerful weapons...therefore, we must choose our words care- fully and execute them with purpose. Spoken with enough precision, they can be used to tear down as much as lift up. Recorded, they can leave a lasting im- pression. As language evolves, the legacy behind them remains intact as a blueprint of reason.

FESTIVAL THEMES SUBTHEMES

This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used SATURDAY JUNE 5: RAISING PARENTS Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building representing the diverse AsianIt is our groups responsibility within our city. to Likeimpart raising our a wisdom building, weto thewanted next to generation. show that support As any comes from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and parent or guardian knows, a child is easily influenced by the older generations looking toward the horizon for a brighter future. in their life. If we can strengthen the relationship youth have to their elders, then when it is time for the younger generation to step into adulthood, they may impart that same kindness and wisdom to both the generations that have helped them, as well as the generations to come.

SUNDAY JUNE 6: RAISING ACTIVISTS

Everyone has something they are passionate about or wish to protect at all costs. A true activist continues to fight, even if the odds are against them. Like a ripple in the water, one act of service can force people into action. Every small effort has an impact.

SUNDAY JUNE 6: RAISING TOURISM

A community cannot grow without a little outside influence. If one wishes to expand their knowledge about different cultures, one must invest in “travel”. That can mean globetrotting or that can mean venturing out of your neighbor- hood. Engaging with local businesses instills ownership within the community and raises national pride to a level that makes others take notice.

MONDAY JUNE 7: RAISING FIERCE WOMEN

Female empowerment is crucial in cultivating a stronger community. Coming-of -age is an especially important journey for women. The experiences that take a girl from childhood to womanhood may vary, but they are necessary in order to achieve greatness.

TUESDAY JUNE 8: RAISING REBELS

As a child, you don’t always take well to authority. Sometimes the things you were taught don’t align with what you believe in. So you challenge yourself (and your boundaries) to seek answers. FESTIVAL THEMES SUBTHEMES

This year’s festival theme is about “raising communities”. In our poster design, we used Houston's skyline to represent the community, with each building representing the diverse Asian groups within our city. Like raising a building, we wanted to show that support comes WEDNESDAY JUNE 9: RAISING STORYTELLERS from the ground up, and that despite our differences, we are all built one in the same and lookingSometimes toward stories the horizon are forthe a onlybrighter gift future. left behind by our ancestors. They are highly influential in the way we form our character, morals, and beliefs. Free to form and yet they may be the most valuable piece of our history.

THURSDAY JUNE 10: RAISING SECOND CHANCES

“Opportunity” is something we often discuss in Asian culture. Whether it is pressure from society or conflict within ourselves, there is always a conscious decision to take advantage of opportunity when it arises.

FRIDAY JUNE 11: RAISING SPIRITS

Many Asian/Pacific Islander cultures have theories about life beyond the living. Some envision benevolent beings while others believe in more sinister crea- tures. So much history is embedded within heirlooms, it’s not too far off to assume spirits may occupy them as well. Pay respects to those before you and you will be rewarded

FRIDAY JUNE 12: RAISING HOPE

It is an unfortunate pattern but when a tragedy occurs, there is an instant effect on society where humanity is questioned and immediate action is demanded. If the past can teach us anything, it is that Hope shouldn’t be a result of tragedy but a constant reminder to rise above.

SATURDAY JUNE 12: RAISING ARTISTS

Creativity is key in evolution. Artists are often labeled as “misunderstood” be- cause not everyone “gets” their vision. But the message will come across if the audience’s will to understand is strong enough. Note: All videos will be screened on the 2021 PROGRAM video streaming platform at the speci- fied time

OPENING NIGHT THURSDAY JUNE 3RD

6PM CST RAISING AWARENESS 5min Yello

8min Radical Care: The Auntie Sewing Squad

12min COVID and Who I Am Now

1hr 28min A Shot Through the Wall FRIDAY JUNE 4TH

6PM CST RAISING YOUTH 8min Cashback

16min Unplanned Parenthood

1hr 16min Metamorphosis in the Slaughterhouse Note: All videos will be screened on the 2021 PROGRAM video streaming platform at the speci- fied time SATURDAY JUNE 5TH

12PM CST RAISING VOICES 1hr 30min OCA Classic Films: American Revolutionary

6PM CST RAISING PARENTS 9min Let’s Eat 21min Golden Boy 1hr 17min Far East Deep South SUNDAY JUNE 6TH

12PM CST RAISING ACTIVISTS 23min VAKA

30min Keep Saray Home

3:30PM CST RAISING TOURISM 8min Cambodia Town: Not For Sale

59min Vietnam: Fast Forward Note: All videos will be screened on the video streaming platform at the speci- 2021 PROGRAM fied time

MONDAY JUNE 7TH

6PM CST RAISING FIERCE WOMEN 19min Miss Aswang

1hr 35min Mickey on the Road TUESDAY JUNE 8TH 6PM CST RAISING REBELS 10min Atomic Cafe: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town 13min Tammy

1hr 45min Fall Back Down WEDNESDAY JUNE 9TH

6PM CST RAISING STORYTELLERS 10min Goodbye, Vietnam 16min Third Culture Kid

10min Love Letter to Houston

24min Swingin’

29min Blue Lanterns Note: All videos will be screened on the 2021 PROGRAM video streaming platform at the speci- fied time THURSDAY JUNE 10TH

6PM CST RAISING SECOND CHANCES 12min Three-Second Rule 16min Blue Suit 1hr 43min Tales of the Circle Keys FRIDAY JUNE 11TH

6PM CST RAISING SPIRITS 13min Fugetsu-Do 15min Koreatown Ghost Story

1hr 9min The Celine Archive SATURDAY JUNE 12TH

12PM CST RAISING HOPE 40min OCA Classic Films: Vincent Who?

6PM CST RAISING ARTISTS 6min To Be Visible 21min Idol 1hr 12min Tokyo Hula RAISING AWARENESS OPENING NIGHT THU JUN 3 6PM

YELLO Director: King Yaw Soon Duration: 5min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A ***SPECIAL RE-SCREENING ON SUNDAY 6/13 5PM CST*** In this colorful and moving animated documentary, a woman takes us through her emotional process after a racist encounter at the airport, offering an honest look at fear and connection in an era marked by uncertainty.

King Yaw Soon is an award-winning filmmaker and graphic designer who was born in Tawau, Malaysia. He currently resides in San Fran- cisco working as a video editor at Electronic Arts. His upcoming film titled "When I See the Wind" is a highly-anticipated collaboration with Andrés Gallegos. RADICAL CARE: The Auntie Sewing Squad

Director: Valerie Soe Duration: 8min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A

This short experimental documen- tary looks at the Auntie Sewing Squad, a group of mostly women of color volunteers who came together following the U.S. government’s botched response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Valerie Soe is an award-winning filmmaker, artist, and writer. Since 1986 she has produced more than 22 short films and documentaries that have exhibited at venues such as the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the New Museum, on cable and broadcast television, and at film festivals world- wide. Soe is an Associate Professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University. RAISING AWARENESS OPENING NIGHT THU JUN 3 6PM COVID and Who I Am Now

Director: Diana Dai Duration: 12min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A

A young Chinese Canadian medical student was attacked during the Covid-19 pandemic. The doc explores Mary’s deep emotional journey and how she struggles with her self identity amid rising anti-Chinese racism during this unprecedented time.

Diana Dai is an multi-award winning documentary filmmaker, She has received the prestigious Gemini Award and the Golden Sheaf Award for the CBC documentary "China's Earthquake: The People in the Pictures". She has also received several awards in international film festivals. She is the director for multi-award winning documentary “My Farmland”, a well-acclaimed documentary “My First 150 days”; “China: The Miraculous Transformation” and “SARS: Cover up and Aftermath”; in addition to other docu- mentaries.

Diana was one of the founders for the Mandarin program for OMNI TV in Canada. Diana has taught the "Television" and "Film and Video" courses at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, where she is one of the authors for the textbook "Television in its social con- text".

Diana obtained a Master's degree in Communication Studies (TV Production) at the Universi- ty of Leeds in the UK.

To see all of this year’s pre-recorded and live Q&As, please go to our OCA Greater Houston YouTube Channel!

Please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE! RAISING AWARENESS OPENING NIGHT THU JUN 3 6PM A Shot Through The Wall

Director: Aimee Long Duration: 1hr 28min Language: English, Chinese Warning: language, violence, gore

Recorded Director Q&A

A young Chinese-American cop unravels after accidentally shooting an innocent African-American man through a wall.

Aimee Long was raised in Paris, Beijing, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Her filmmaking journey began in a summer program at Columbia University, where she directed her first short film. The immense satisfaction of the rigorous creative process made her promptly switch careers from mathematical algorithms to writing scripts and directing films. She went on to attend UCLA film school and, upon graduation, Aimee dove into the world of documentary film, working with HBO on a docu-series chronicling addiction. All the while, she has continued to pursue her passion for narrative filmmaking with several short films. In 2016, Aimee co-founded Kings Road Pictures in order to develop and produce feature length films with a socially conscious message, reflecting the realities of today with the dream of our future possibilities.

Aimee currently resides in New York. RAISING YOUTH FRI JUN 4 6PM Cashback

Director: Zoe Eisenberg Duration: 8min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A

On her last night of work, a pregnant theater manager dis- covers a bag of cash under a seat and must decide what to do with it.

Zoe Eisenberg is a writer, producer and new director based out of Hawai’i. A 2019 Creative Lab Hawai’i Producing Fellow and member of Film Fatales and Women in Film, her work has played on Hawaiian Airlines, shown theatrically across the state of Hawai’i and has won awards including Best Hawai’i Feature (Hawai’i Film Critics Society 2019) and Best Narrative Feature (Austin Indie Film Fest 2019).

Unplanned Parenthood

Director: Leah Sherman-Weiner Duration: 16min Language: English Warning: language

A young adoptee has an unplanned pregnancy and must decide whether to abandon her education and future career to raise her unborn child, or to opt for an abortion or adoption and say goodbye to her only known kin before giving them a chance.

Leah Sherman-Weiner is an international adoptee adopted into a small, older American family. Both her films and art resonate deeply with coming of age stories that place emphasis on the complexity and often contradictory nature of our evolving relation- ships with mental health, race and ethnicity, socioec- onomic class, and each other in America, especially in our transgenerational relationships. RAISING YOUTH FRI JUN 4 6PM Metamorphosis in the Slaughterhouse

Director: Javad Daraei Duration: 1hr 16min Language: Persian with English Subtitles Warning: violence, gore, child abuse, implied animal cruelty Recorded Director Q&A

Shadi is a little girl whose parents have been accused of murdering a girl in the village. The villagers killed her parents to seek revenge. Her uncle adopts her and now Shadi must face the problems that people of the village caused them.

Javad Daraei, an Iranian director, was born on Febru- ary 27, 1992 in Khorramabad. After high school, he became interested in cinema and went to the Universi- ty of Tehran. He began filming as a student in the year 2016 and made his first short film “I Don’t Like Her” which was seen at many festivals. He then made his second short film “Limit” in the year 2017. He does most of the filmmaking alone, including screenplay, directing, cinematography, editing, and color correc- tion. He has an international award in all sectors. He believes the filmmaker should produce the best film at the lowest cost and not wait for a big investor while learning all the parts of filmmaking professionally. RAISING VOICES SAT JUN 5 12PM OCA Classic Films: American Revolutionary

***FREE ON-DEMAND ACCESS TO FILM THRU 6/13 with pur- chase of a ticket, pass, or merchandise***

Director: Grace Lee Duration: 1hr 30min Language: English What does it mean to be an American revolutionary today? Grace Lee Boggs was a Chinese American woman in Detroit whose vision of revolution will surprise you. A writer, activist, and phi- losopher rooted for more than 70 years in the African American movement, she devoted her life to an evolving revolution that encompasses the contradictions of America’s past and its potentially radical future. Revolution, Boggs says, is about something deeper within the human experience — the ability to transform oneself to transform the world. American Revolutionary takes the viewer on a journey into the power of ideas and the necessity of expansive, imaginative thinking, as well as ongoing dialectical conversation, to propel societal change.

Grace Lee is an independent producer & director and writer working in both narrative and non-fiction film. She directed the Peabody Award -winning documentary AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS, which The Hollywood Reporter called ”an entertainingly revealing portrait of the power of a single individual to effect change.” The film premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival where it won its first of six audience awards before its broadcast on the PBS documentary series POV. Her previous documentary THE GRACE LEE PROJECT won multiple awards, broadcast on the Sun- dance Channel and was called “ridiculously entertaining” by New York Magazine and “ a funny but complex meditation on identity and cultural expectation,” by Variety. RAISING PARENTS SAT JUN 5 6PM

Director: Dixon Wong Let’s Eat Duration: 9min Let’s Eat follows the story of an immigrant mother and her Language: Chinese daughter as they navigate through the beauty and challenges of life. Despite the difficulties they face, the warmth and love with English Subtitles of family provides comfort and closeness, and cooking be- comes a symbol of their unconditional love for one another.

Dixon Wong is an American film writer and director, and is the co-owner of Anamon Studios, a small independent studio based out of San Francisco. He is an alumni of the University of California San Diego, where he studied Visual Arts. Soon after college, he worked and managed a screen printing company. Eventually, feeling that he had left the creative art world behind, Dixon decided to pursue a career in animation. Golden Boy Director: Kitty Hu Duration: 21min Language: English, Chinese Recorded Director Q&A

The story of how a daughter docu- ments her father’s journey of balancing family and work and how he adapts to being a caregiver. While she films his journey, she is also managing her own life as a student, soon to be post-grad, and someone navigating her family history. Everything feels overwhelming, but this film explores how as her father says, “We are together.”

Kitty Hu is a Chinese American filmmaker and visual journalist from the Bay Area, California. Having grown up as the daughter of immi- grants, Kitty’s work applies documentary tactics to amplify stories at the intersection of justice and human relationships, looking at topics like labor, housing, migration and sustainability. She recently complet- ed her B.A. in film and international development studies at UCLA. RAISING PARENTS SAT JUN 5 6PM

***SPECIAL RE-SCREENING & LIVE Q&A ON SUNDAY 6/13 5PM CST***

Director: Larissa Lam Duration: 1hr 17min Far East Deep South Language: English Far East Deep South explores the seldom-told history of early Chinese immigrants living in the American South during the late 1800s to mid-1900s through the eyes of Charles Chiu and his family as they travel to Mississippi to find answers about his father, KC Lou. In the span of just several hours, a simple trip turns into an unexpected and emotional journey uncovering lost family history and the legacy of the early Chinese immigrants in the Deep South.

Larissa Lam is a native of Dia- mond Bar, CA and graduated from UCLA. She was the director and music composer of the multi -award winning documentary short, "Finding Cleveland". In 2018, she was selected to be part of the prestigious Smithsonian Institute's History Film Forum Emerging Filmmaker's Lab.

Larissa is passionate about empowering and inspiring others through film, music and speaking engagements. A dynamic speaker, she has spoken on diversity in media, the Asian American experience and other topics at TEDx, Leadercast, and numerous universities such as Yale, UCLA and MIT. She is also the host of a new advice radio show for young adults, UTalk Radio. RAISING ACTIVISTS SUN JUN 6 12PM

VAKA

Director: Kelly Moneymaker Duration: 23min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A

VAKA is a short documentary about the energy and resilience of the Tokelauan people as they weave their customary-wisdom regarding the environment with modern eco-technologies to respond to climate change.

Kelley Moneymaker has been a singer songwriter since she was eleven. She later developed a passion for documentary making, filmmaking, indigenous story telling, and sound design. VAKA was a student film for her Bachelor of Creative Media production degree at Massey University in Wellington, New Zealand and is the first film she directed. Keep Saray Home Director: Brian Redondo Duration: 30min Language: English, Vietnamese Warning: language LIVE Director Q&A

ICE doesn’t just separate families at the border. In the outskirts of Boston, three families face the impending threat of deportation. But as refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam, they know they’ll have to fight together to stay together.

Brian Redondo is a documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. He is committed to stories from the margins of society, often ex- ploring issues of race, immigration, and how those topics intersect with culture. He is currently working on his next short documentary examining family separation and deportations in Boston’s Southeast Asian community. He is also a senior video editor at The New Yorker magazine. RAISING TOURISM SUN JUN 6 3:30PM Cambodia Town: Not For Sale

Director: Brandon Soun, Lan Nguyen Duration: 8min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A CAMBODIA TOWN: NOT FOR SALE captures the collective grassroots organizing among Long Beach residents against the ongoing gentrification of small ethnic-owned shops in the heart of Cambodia Town. Members of the community and small business owners express how this sudden change would come at the cost of their deep-rooted livelihoods.

Brandon Soun is a Cambodian American documentary filmmaker from Long Beach, California. A recent graduate of UCLA’s Asian American Studies pro- gram, Brandon’s work centers around themes surrounding the Southeast Asian community.

Lan Nguyen is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and was raised in Long Beach, California. She is a filmmaker, community organizer, and educator.

RAISING TOURISM SUN JUN 6 3:30PM Vietnam: Fast Forward

Director: Eladio Arvelo Duration: 59min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A

Fast-forward four decades since its Reunification, Vietnam is finally coming of age as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, powered by the entrepreneurial spirit of a new generation (70% of the population is under 35 years of age) that is eager to pursue their personal dreams.

This uplifting documentary explores the human element of Vietnam's resurgence. Traveling throughout the country, we engage a diverse group of characters revolutionizing the tour- ism, technology, agriculture, and entertainment sectors. Filled with refreshing candor and wit, their remarkable life stories blend into a set of universally inspiring themes that will likely re-energize your own soul.

Eladio Arvelo grew up in Venezuela and moved to the United States to attend college at the age of 18. After graduating from M.I.T in 2000, he relocated to his current home in San Diego, working as an engineer for almost 20 years before finally taking a leap of faith to pursue a new career in filmmaking. As an avid traveler, Eladio loves to create inspiring films that document epic adventures and com- pelling human stories worldwide. RAISING FIERCE WOMEN MON JUN 7 6PM MISS ASWANG Director: Rialin José Duration: 19min Language: Tagalog with English Subtitles Warning: language, flashing imagery, bodily fluids On her sixteenth birthday, DI VILLANUEVA is faced Recorded Director Q&A with an ASWANG—an evil mythical creature of Filipino folklore—which pushes her to confront the roots she has tried so hard to ignore.

Rialin José (pronounced RY-lin ho-ZAY) is a Chicago-based filmmaker and illustrator. As a first-generation Filipino American, Rialin strives to tell stories that reflect her background and honor her roots. She is a graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a degree in film. RAISING FIERCE WOMEN MON JUN 7 6PM Mickey On the Road Director: Mian Mian Lu Duration: 59min Language: English Warning: language, violence, implied sexual assault, nudity LIVE Director Q&A

Best friends Mickey and Gin Gin are young women scraping by in southern Taiwan. A headstrong tomboy, Mickey looks after her depressed mother, and spends her free time in the local temple, trying to join its all-male martial arts troupe. By contrast, sanguine and impul- sive Gin Gin makes money dancing in nightclubs.

When Gin Gin hatches a plan to rendezvous with her crush, Jay, in the city of Guangzhou, China, Mickey decides to go along, determined to locate the father who abandoned her and her mother years before. Almost immediately the two find themselves in over their heads, im- mersed in lawlessness and betrayal. But China also has a magical quality of new desires and pleasures that arouse Mickey’s sexual-discovery.

Through misadventures--some comic, some brutal--Mickey and Gin Gin strengthen their friendship, and transform from rascally naifs into more mature souls with a clearer sense of themselves and the contemporary world.

Mian Mian Lu is a Taiwanese film director and writer. Her recent short MY MOM’S WEDDING won the special award from Women Make Wave Film Festival in Taiwan. Her previous short MIDNIGHT DANCE screened at numerous film festivals to critical acclaim, including Seoul International Women’s Film Festival and Los Ange- les Asian Pacific Film Festival. MICKEY ON THE ROAD is LU’s debut feature film. RAISING REBELS TUE JUN 8 6PM Atomic Café: The Noisiest Corner in J-Town

Director: Akira Boch, Tadashi Nakamura Duration: 10min Language: English Warning: language, drugs LIVE Director Q&A

In the late 1970’s, when L.A.’s punk rock scene was exploding, an unlikely family-owned restaurant in Little Tokyo started by Japanese Americans returning from America’s WWII concentration camps, became one its most popular hang-outs. That’s when Sansei “Atomic Nancy” with her “take- no-prisoners” punk make-up and demeanor took the café over from her parents and cranked up the jukebox. Infamous for its eclectic clientele – from Japanese American locals and kids from East L.A. to yakuza and the biggest rock stars of the day - the Atomic Café became an important part of L.A.’s punk rock history.

Tadashi Nakamura Emmy-winning filmmaker Tadashi Nakamura was named one of CNN’s “Young People Who Rock” for being the youngest filmmaker at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and listed as one of the “Top Rising Asian American Directors” on IMDb. Nakamura has a M.A. in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz, a B.A. in Asian American Studies from UCLA where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Akira Boch is an Emmy-winning filmmaker and Director of the Watase Media Arts Center at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. He has an MFA in Film Directing from UCLA Film School, and has made dozens of documentaries, short films and music videos. His award-winning feature film, The Crumbles, went on a nationwide tour of theaters, festivals and universities.

Founded in 2015 IN Dhaka, Bangladesh, Lidia May is a company built to do good. The LIDIA MAY team takes a hands-on approach to cultivating crafts- manship from concept to completion. LIDIA em- bodies the dual visions of stylized luxury and Check them out at lidiamay.com RAISING REBELS TUE JUN 8 6PM

Director: Andrew T. Horng Duration: 13min Tammy Language: English, Chinese, Korean, When an Asian-American skateboarder, who’s Spanish, Tagalog, Thai (English Subti- either stereotyped or ignored by everyone in her life, is invited to a skateboarding contest, tles) her rare opportunity to shine is ruined by the Warning: language presence of another Asian-American skate- LIVE Director Q&A boarder.

Andrew T. Horng is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles. His credits include stints on MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, PRISON BREAK, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, HOUSE M.D. and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. In 2019, he was ranked by NYC MIDNIGHT as a TOP 60 FINALIST out of 1700+ writers from around the world. That year, he also wrote, directed, and produced 4 short films in just 5 months. On the film festival circuit, all 4 succeeded against other films with more time, money, and resources. Mr. Horng's ultimate goal is to improve representation for all underrepresented groups in feature films and TV. RAISING REBELS TUE JUN 8 6PM Fall Back Down Director: Sarah Beth Ed- wards Duration: 1hr 45min Language: English Warning: language, drugs, sex, partial nudity

LIVE Director Q&A

A depressed ex-activist takes a job in a sweatshop where he and his coworker make a grim discovery.

Sara Beth (SB) Edwards is based in Vancouver and Los Angeles. SB is a dual New Zealand / Canadian citizen and speaks fluent French. With a background in the Fine Arts, she has spent the last decade creating scripted content for the disenfranchised and working in the Art Department of various films and television series.

SB is the Writer / Director / Producer of punk Romantic Comedy FALL BACK DOWN (2020) funded through Telefilm Canada’s “Talent to Watch” program. Her sophomore feature THE ESTATE is a serious Lesbian Horror set in Ireland, also supported by Telefilm.

Previously SB wrote on the Netflix original series Travelers and was a development writer on The Reckoner, a supernatural teen series pro- duced by Buffalo Gal Pictures and Animiki See Digital for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN). She recently completed her short film SALTY, which screened in the Cannes Short Film Corner.

SB is a past participant in the WGC Bell Media Diverse Screenwriters Program, Reykjavik Talent Lab, Geena Davis Fellowship and in 2017 won the ‘High Scribe’ award at Sun Valley Film Festival. The judge was Producer Chris Moore (Manchester by the Sea, Good Will Hunting) who is an Executive Producer on Fall Back Down.

RAISING STORYTELLERS WED JUN 9 6PM Goodbye, Vietnam Director: Maleigha Michael Duration: 10min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A

An animated documentary about the story of a Vietnamese refugee narrated by his daughter.

Maleigha Michael is a recent Digital Storytelling graduate from the Uni- versity of Missouri. Starting as an animator, she appreciates the unique artistic freedom that animation allows. She focuses on telling stories that are inclusive and representative, which she finds especially important because animation is usually targeted towards kids. Third Culture Kid Director: Truong Dam Duration: 16min Language: English, German, Vietnamese (English Subtitles) Warning: language Recorded Director Q&A

James Heinrich Nguyen, a Third Culture Kid, is battling an inner conflict about cultural heritage, identity and marriage.

Truong Dam is a filmmaker and actor currently based in Germany where he is attending Dresden University of Technology majoring in Communication Science. His passion for cinema and performative arts led to his directorial debut 'Third Culture Kid', which is partly based on his own experiences growing up as an Asian in Europe. Today, he is working on several other projects, such as an upcoming short film named 'Men After Work', which he wrote and will star in. His career goals include finding and manifesting his place as an Asian creative in the entertainment industry. To drive those forward, he is currently building his body of work and getting deeper into the craft of filmmaking and acting. RAISING STORYTELLERS WED JUN 9 6PM Love Letter to Houston Director: Leah Ogawa Duration: 10min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A

“Love Letter to Houston” is a stop motion animation short film created by Leah Ogawa, puppeteer, artist, filmmak- er and model based in New York City. It was inspired by a podcast by Ann Shi, “Dear Houston—Love, Asian America” produced by Houston Asian American Archive, which aired on Valentine’s Day in 2021. Leah selected two love stories from the podcast: Beck and Joyce Gee, and Melanie and Kendall Toarmina Pang. The unique format of the film being staged as a love letter to Houston from Asian America, in this unique moment in history, signifies our commonality in the diasporic nature of humanity and the ability to love, despite differences in color, origin, sexuality, and others. Love is love; and nothing can stop us from loving one another.

Leah Ogawa is a mixed-race artist, puppeteer, dramatist, self- detective, and model, based in New York City. Raised in Yama- nashi, Japan, Leah has worked with puppeteers, artists, and companies including The Metropolitan Opera, Phantom Limb, Dan Hurlin, Tom Lee, Nami Yamamoto, Loco 7, and others. She has performed across the US as well as at the Quai Branly in Paris and across Asia.Leah is a recipient of the Jim Henson Foundation’s workshop grant for her original piece, "Growing Not Dying". She is currently in residency at La MaMa Experi- mental Theater Club. RAISING STORYTELLERS WED JUN 9 6PM Swingin’ Director: Guo Shang-Sing Duration: 24min Language: Chinese (English Subtitles) Warning: language, (implied) exposure involving a minor LIVE Director Q&A

When sixth-grader boy Qiu is bullied in school for having gay dads, his stepfather Howard, a flamboyant Jazz trumpet player, must confront his own nightmares of childhood bullying before he can provide his son a feeling of security. Swingin' is the first dramedy/music film of its kind since Taiwan became the first (and only as of today) country in Asia to legalize same-sex in 2019.

Guo Shang-Sing is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents and NYU Graduate Film Program. Guo writes, directs and acts for both film and theatre. Notable works include: Kong Peh Tshat or: How I Learned to Tell a Lie (2012) that competed in festivals including Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival, and: Only Meal of the Day (2010) that traveled to festivals worldwide.

Blue Lanterns

Director: Brandon Chi-Wei Chen Duration: 29min Language: Chinese (English Subtitles) Kit and Fai, two innocent local Hong Kong kids, are Warning: drugs, violence, gore, approached by Chou, a mid-level gangster, in an arcade. As the two boys become entangled in the weapons. language, prostitution world of crime, their innocence disappears along LIVE Director Q&A with their friendship.

Brandon Chi-Wei Chen, based in Beijing. Brandon is a Taiwanese American producer, director, and writer. Brandon grew up shooting and editing skateboarding videos in Los Angeles. He was later inspired by his surroundings in Hollywood to pursue film.As the industry in China and Hollywood intertwined, Brandon moved to Beijing in 2013 with the goal to bridge the gap between the two opposing cultures. He currently works as a producer at Digital Domain, one of the largest motion-capture post-production companies in the world. RAISING SECOND CHANCES THU JUN 10 6PM THREE-SECOND RULE

Director: Todd Lien Duration: 12min Language: English, Mandarin Chinese (English Subtitles) LIVE Director Q&A

Life has its own mysterious way to challenge you for a decision you make within 3 seconds of your life, and the decisions these three girls make will challenge their outlook on life by forcing them to face themselves more honestly.

Todd Lien is a Taiwanese actor/director based in Los Angeles. Be- sides acting in different award-winning film projects and commer- cials, Lien has directed many stage shows, commercials, short films, and music videos in the greater LA area for Asian American children. festival circuits, "Dreams" and "B.Y. Fresh Off The Boat" as well. They have both won awards and been nominated for over 10 film festivals.

BLUE SUIT

Director: Kevin J. Nguyen Duration: 16min Language: English

When a surprise party interrupts his plans, an anxious man has to find a private moment to confess his feelings for his friend before he moves away the next day.

Kevin J. Nguyen is a queer Vietnamese American writer, producer, and director who moved around the country until he found his way to Los Angeles, California. An avid storyteller, Kevin built a career being a writer/director/producer for companies like Jubilee Media, BuzzFeed, and Snap Inc. His work has amassed billions of views worldwide across platforms, such as Amazon Prime, Hulu, PBS, YouTube, Facebook, and Snapchat. He has worked on web series "Worth It: Lifestyle," films "Blind Devotion" and "CoPilots" in partner- ship with Francis Chan, and the "#NotTheSame" PSA. He is most known for his content that feature stories from marginalized voices and social justice. RAISING SECOND CHANCES THU JUN 10 6PM Tales of the Circle Keys

Director: Diq Diamond Duration: 1hr 43min Language: English Warning: language, violence, strobe lights, implied sex LIVE Director Q&A

Four tales interconnect as a screenplay writer, obsessed with a character in the script, searches for the perfect ending, which lead to the discovery of strange musical instruments, a magical journey of zaniness and the creation of the Circle Key Band…but is the world ready for an Asian Rockstar?

Diq Diamond was born and raised in Southern California, working as a Director/Writer on film/commercial sets, editor and camera operator for multiple projects. working as a Director/Writer on film/commercial sets, editor and camera operator for multiple projects. Founder and singer/ songwriter for the bands Diq Diamond and the Family Jewels and Solid, did missionary work in Ecuador and with The Mercy Corp, taught Special Education for 15 years and then went back to school to follow film dream. Diamond has written multiple shorts and 3 feature length scripts that are currently being work shopped and/or pitched. Most of his stories center around the under-belly and outcast of society, and the simple kindness that is needed to put smiles on their faces, if not for just a short while. keep an eye out for his upcoming comedy series, Potluck With Smooch. RAISING SPIRITS FRI JUN 11 6PM Fugetsu-Do Director: Kaia Rose Duration: 13min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A

"We had to live the American Dream twice." An intimate portrait of a sweet shop that has been an anchor for the Japanese- American community in Little Tokyo since 1903. The ingredients of the brightly-colored pieces of mochi-gashi that line Fugetsu-Do's wood-paneled cases include so much more than rice flour and sweet bean paste. Mixed inside are stories of joy and pain, tradition and racism, legacy and loss.

Kaia Rose is a director and producer best known for Climate Countdown, an award-winning webseries that maps out the ecology of climate solutions. As a freelance filmmaker, Kaia has filmed and edited videos for such organiza- tions as the United Nations, The Juilliard School, 350.org, and the World Bank. For many years she was the lead producer and studio manager at the BAFTA-winning production company ArthurCox in the UK. Koreatown Ghost Story Director: Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum Duration: 15min Language: English Warnings: Gore, Needles, Dark Arts LIVE Director Q&A

In this supernatural horror tale based on a Korean ritual starring Margaret Cho and Lyrica Okano, a woman entertains a macabre offer that would let her pursue her dreams, for better or for much much worse.

Minsun Park & Teddy Tenenbaum are a writing/directing team with combined experience in features and television, including pilot sales, staff writing, feature spec sales, and feature and television assignments. They have written separately and together, and currently write both as a team and as solo writers. They specialize in genre writing, including horror, thriller, and action, typically with a humorous edge. With Min- sun's background as an Asian-American woman born in Korea and Teddy's experience as a White dude from Ohio, they cover a lot of bases. RAISING SPIRITS FRI JUN 11 6PM The Celine Archive

Director: Celine Parreñas Shimizu Duration: 1hr 9min Language: English Warnings: Descriptions of Violence, Murder LIVE Director Q&A

Adulteress, traitor, heroine, or prey? In 1932, Celine Navarro was buried alive by her com- munity in Northern California. This film digs up her story. The filmmaker, a grieving mother, with a long-term commitment to exploring race, gender and immigration, digs up Celine Navarro’s story, exposing silences that haunt Filipin@x American communities today, along with Celine Navarro’s family, community members and scholars who know different details about this largely untold event in American history.

Celine Parreñas Shimizu, film scholar and filmmaker, is Professor and Director of the School of Cinema at San Francisco State University. Her work focuses on social theories of power and inequality at the site of race, sexuality and transnationalism. She has written three books, The PROXIMITY OF OTHER SKINS (2020), STRAITJACKET SEXU- ALITIES (2012), and THE HYPERSEXUALITY OF RACE (2007). She edited two antholo- gies, THE FEMINIST PORN BOOK (2013) and THE UNWATCHABILITY OF WHITENESS (2018), and authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in the top journals in the fields of cinema, performance, ethnic, feminist, sexuality studies and transnational popular culture in Asia and Asian America. Her films BIRTH- RIGHT (2009), SUPER FLIP (1997), HER UPROOTING PLANTS HER (1995) and MAHAL MEANS LOVE AND EXPENSIVE (1993) are distributed by Third World Newsreel and Progressive Films and have won festival awards. She is Associate Editor for GLQ and former USA Editor for ADVA and Women's Studies International Forum. She received her Ph.D. in Modern Thought and Literature from Stanford University, her M.F.A. in Film Directing and Production from UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and her B.A. in Ethnic Studies from U.C. Berkeley. She was a Full Professor of Asian American, Film and Media and Feminist Studies at U.C. Santa Barbara for fifteen years. RAISING HOPE SAT JUN 12 12PM OCA Classic Films: Vincent Who?

Director: Tony Lam Duration: 40min Language: English LIVE Producer Q&A

In 1982, at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments arising from massive layoffs in the auto industry, a Chinese-American named Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers. Chin's killers, however, got off with a $3,000 fine and 3 years probation, but no jail time. Outraged by this injustice, Asian Americans around the country united for the first time across ethnic and socioeconomic lines to form a pan-Asian identity and civil rights movement.

VINCENT WHO? explores this important legacy through interviews with the key players at the time as well as a whole new generation of activists whose lives were impacted by Vincent Chin.

Tony Lam is an independent filmmaker, freelance producer-director, and screenwriter based in L.A.Tony was motivated to make this film, because after 25 years, the APA community (not to mention the gen- eral public) still remains largely ignorant of this momentous move- ment – momentous not only in Asian American history, but also in American civil rights history. As with VINCENT WHO?, Tony has largely dedicated his filmmaking and freelance career to promoting Asian Americans and Asian American stories. RAISING ARTISTS SAT JUN 12 6PM To Be Visible

Director: Leah Ogawa Duration: 6min Language: English Recorded Director Q&A

Houston Asian American Archive of Rice University presents "To Be Visible," a puppetry animation video project that shines lights on the human experience of being Asian and Asian American living in the United States.

Leah Ogawa is a mixed-race artist, puppeteer, dramatist, self- detective, and model, based in New York City. Raised in Yamanashi, Japan, Leah has worked with puppeteers, artists, and companies including The Metropolitan Opera, Phantom Limb, Dan Hurlin, Tom Lee, Nami Yamamoto, Loco 7, and others. She has performed across the US as well as at the Quai Branly in Paris and across Asia. Leah is a recipi- ent of the Jim Henson Foundation’s workshop grant for her original piece, "Growing Not Dying". She is currently in residency at La MaMa Experimental Theater Club. Idol

Director: Ryushi Lindsay Duration: 21min Language: Japanese (English Subtitles) Warning: Implied Child Abuse LIVE Director Q&A

Single mother Miyabi relies on her child idol daughter Kasumi as their only source of income and ticket to future financial stability. When Kasumi is replaced in the group by a more popular girl, Miyabi must ensure she gets her daughter back in the lineup.

Ryushi Lindsay is a British-Japanese filmmaker based between Tokyo and the UK. He works across fiction and non-fiction, and is particularly drawn to political film that disrupts the forms of dominant cinema. RAISING ARTISTS SAT JUN 12 6PM Tokyo Hula

Director: Lisette Marie Flanary Duration: 1hr 12min Language: English, Japanese Recorded Director Q&A

TOKYO HULA explores the explosive popularity of the hula dance in Japan from both Native Hawaiian and Japanese perspectives. Today it is estimated there are nearly 2 million people dancing hula in Japan – a figure greater than the entire population of Hawaiʻi. With more people dancing hula in Japan than in Hawaiʻi where the native art was born, this phenomenal growth has created a multi-million dollar industry based on culture as com- modity. But what motivates Japanese students and teachers to dance hula and how is it translated into a foreign culture? How do Native Hawaiians participate in this cross- cultural exchange? Through the personal stories of Hawaiian master hula teachers and Japanese teachers and dancers, the documentary examines how tourism, economics and a love affair with the islands of Hawaiʻi has made hula big business in Japan.

Lisette Marie Flanary is an independent filmmaker and hula dancer who creates documentary films that celebrate a modern renaissance of the hula dance and Hawaiian culture. Lisette is a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in Film and Television Production and received her MFA in Creative Writing at the New School University. Having lived in New York City for over twenty years, Lisette joined the faculty of the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 2011. She is an Associate Professor of Native/Indigenous Creative Media who teaches courses in screenwriting, producing, critical studies, and indigenous filmmaking. She received the Board of Regents’ Medal for Excellence in Teaching in 2016. RAISING A TOAST CLOSING NIGHT SUN JUN 13 5PM

YELLO Director: King Yaw Soon Duration: 5min Language: English

In this colorful and moving animated documentary, a woman takes us through her emotional process after a racist encounter at the airport, offering an honest look at fear and connection in an era marked by uncertainty.

King Yaw Soon is an award-winning filmmaker and graphic designer who was born in Tawau, Malaysia. He currently resides in San Fran- cisco working as a video editor at Electronic Arts. His upcoming film titled "When I See the Wind" is a highly-anticipated collaboration with Andrés Gallegos. FAR EAST DEEP SOUTH

Director: Larissa Lam Duration: 1hr 17min Language: English LIVE Director Q&A

Far East Deep South explores the sel- dom-told history of early Chinese immi- grants living in the American South during the late 1800s to mid-1900s through the eyes of Charles Chiu and his family as they travel to Mississippi to find answers about his father, KC Lou. In the span of just several hours, a simple trip turns into an unexpected and emotional journey uncovering lost family history and the legacy of the early Chinese immigrants in the Deep South.

Larissa Lam is a native of Diamond Bar, CA and graduated from UCLA. She was the director and music composer of the multi- award winning documentary short, "Finding Cleveland". In 2018, she was selected to be part of the prestigious Smithsonian Institute's History Film Forum Emerging Filmmaker's Lab. Laris- sa is passionate about empowering and inspiring others through film, music and speaking engagements. She is also the host of a new advice radio show for young adults, UTalk Radio. THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING HAAPIFEST 2021!

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