LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL APRIL 27 - MAY 4 presented by Visual Communications #LAAPFF2017 • 1 THEATER & PROGRAM SCHEDULE VENUE LEGEND ARATANI TAT 7:00 PM | 84 MINS WILDEST IMAGINATION Aratani Theatre @ THURS APRIL 27 Japanese American DTIND 7:00 PM | 124 MINS THREE SASSY SISTERS EGY 7:00 PM | 101 MINS BETTER LUCK TOMORROW Cultural & FRI APRIL 28 ARATANI 8:00 PM | 94 MINS GOOK Community Center DTIND 10:00 PM | 88 MINS TOKYO IDOLS TAT 4:00 PM | 79 MINS RELOCATION, ARKANSAS- ART AFTERMATH OF INCARCERATION SUN APRIL 30 Art Share L.A. DTIND 11:30 AM | 100 MINS CINE-DIORAMA DTIND 6:00 PM | 92 MINS I GOT YOU, FAM CGV TAT 6:30 PM | 49 MINS HBO APA VISIONARIES CGV3 11:30 AM | 88 MINS WINDOW HORSES CGV Cinemas ARATANI 8:00 PM | 113 MINS I CAN, I WILL, I DID TAT 12:00 PM | 81 MINS THE BIG PICTURE, IN BITE-SIZED Koreatown CHUNKS - APAS AND TAT 8:30 PM | 78 MINS RESISTANCE AT TULE LAKE CGV-BP DTIND 8:30 PM | 105 MINS BY THE TIME IT GETS DARK WEBISODIC SERIES CGV Cinemas DTIND 11:00 PM | 96 MINS YELLOW JANM 12:00 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - BUZZFEED: “IMPACT Buena Park AND VISIBILITY ON THE DIGITAL SAT APRIL 29 DGA TAT 10:00 AM | 45 MINS ITSY BITSY SHORTS FRONTIER AND BEYOND” Directors Guild DTIND 11:30 AM | 84 MINS PINK HOUSE, PINK HOME CGV3 1:45 PM | 87 MINS THE SUM OF MY MEMORY of America JANM 1:45 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - WRITERS GUILD OF TAT 11:30 AM | 62 MINS FROM VISION TO REEL DTIND JANM 12:00 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - DIRECTORS GUILD OF AMERICA,WEST: “WOMEN ON TOP: Downtown AMERICA: “DIRECTING HORROR & MEET THE CREATIVE FORCES Independent BEHIND MARVEL’S AGENTS OF GENRE” EGYPT JANM 1:45 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - MOTION PICTURE S.H.I.E.L.D., QUEEN OF THE SOUTH, The Egyptian Theatre AND QUEEN SUGAR” EDITORS GUILD: “EDITING FOR GEF DTIND 2:00 PM | 94 MINS MOTHERLAND ANIMATION AND STOP MOTION” Geffen Contemporary DTIND 2:00 PM | 96 MINS MIXED MATCH ARATANI 2:00 PM | 81 MINS DIGITAL HISTORIES 2017: at MOCA PAST INFORMS THE FUTURE TAT 2:00 PM | 57 MINS WET SAND: VOICES FROM L.A. JANM TAT 2:30 PM | 76 MINS FINDING KUKAN JANM 3:15 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - “DIMENSION 404: THE Aratani Central Hall FUTURE OF STORYTELLING IN THE JANM 3:15 PM | 75 MINS C3 PANEL - SAG-AFTRA: “BETTER @ Japanese American DIGITAL SPACE” LUCK TOMORROW: A National Museum RETROSPECTIVE” TAT 4:30 PM | 82 MINS A TIME TO SWIM KCC DTIND 4:30 PM | 95 MINS THE LOCKPICKER CGV3 4:00 PM | 82 MINS PLASTIC CHINA Korean Cultural JANM 4:45 PM | 90 MINS C3 COMMUNITY PANEL - UCLA DTIND 4:30 PM | 88 MINS ABACUS: SMALL ENOUGH TO JAIL Center TAT 5:00 PM | 65 MINS MELE MURALS LUSKIN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC TAT AFFAIRS AS PART OF THE MEYER CGV3 6:30 PM | 108 MINS THE ROAD TO MANDALAY Tateuchi Democracy AND RENEE LUSKIN LECTURE DTIND 7:00 PM | 70 MIN NORMAN JONES Forum @ Japanese SERIES: “MEDIA & SOICAL CHANGE” TAT 7:30 PM | 95 MINS REBEL HEARTS American National Museum ARATANI 5:00 PM | 60 MINS SAVE MY SEOUL DTIND 9:15 PM | 84 MINS CARDINAL X CGV3 9:15 PM | 102 MINS POP AYE TGC The Great Company MON MAY 1 THURS MAY 4 GEF 6:00 PM | 68 MINS TURN LEFT TURN RIGHT DGA 7:00 PM | 104 MINS COLUMBUS FILM LEGEND CGV3 6:30 PM | 90 MINS SAVING SALLY FRI MAY 5 DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION DTIND 7:00 PM | 82 MINS WEXFORD PLAZA CGV-BP 7:30 PM | 114 MINS SHE’S THE BOSS CGV2 7:00 PM | 57 MINS UNBROKEN GLASS CGV-BP 10:00 PM | 80 MINS ENCORE: CHEE AND T C3 CONFERENCE KCC 7:30 PM | 120 MINS C3 PANEL - KOREAN FILM SAT MAY 6 INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL: “INDEPENDENT CGV-BP 11:30 AM | 79 MINS ENCORE: RELOCATION, COMPETITION FILMMAKING IN THE ERA OF ARKANSAS - AFTERMATH OF NARRATIVE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION” INCARCERATION COMPETITION TGC 8:00 PM | ~ 80 MINS TOP 8 CGV-BP 2:00 PM | 78 MINS ENCORE: RESISTANCE AT GALA GEF 8:30 PM | 104 MINS DIAMOND ISLAND TULE LAKE PRESENTATION CGV3 9:00 PM | 98 MINS FEMINIST AF CGV-BP 4:30 PM | 90 MINS FATHER AND SON SHORTS DTIND 9:30 PM | 90 MINS WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? CGV-BP 7:00 PM | 95 MINS JACKPOT PROGRAM CGV2 9:30 PM | 89 MINS WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME CGV-BP 9:30 PM | 90 MINS ENCORE: WHO IS ARTHUR CHU? SPECIAL TUE MAY 2 SUN MAY 7 PRESENTATION CGV3 5:00 PM | 68 MINS RE:ORIENTATIONS CGV-BP 1:00 PM | 66 MINS ENCORE: MELE MURALS SPONSORED CGV3 6:30 PM | 91 MINS THE SOUL OF THE TIGER CGV-BP 3:00 PM | 75 MINS ENCORE: FINDING KUKAN PRESENTATION DTIND 7:00 PM | 88 MINS SMALL TALK CGV-BP 5:30 PM | 117 MINS LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA LAAPFF BEST OF CGV2 7:00 PM | 78 MINS JOSHUA: TEENAGER VS. CGV-BP 8:00 PM | TBA ENCORE: INTERNATIONAL THE FEST IN OC SUPERPOWER COMPETITION WINNER CGV3 9:00 PM | 92 MINS IN AND OUT OF THE SLIPSTREAM MON MAY 8 DTIND 9:30 PM | 88 MINS KING OF PEKING CGV-BP 6:30 PM | 104 MINS ENCORE: DIAMOND ISLAND CVG2 9:30 PM | 92 MINS GOOD BONES CGV-BP 8:45 PM | TBA ENCORE: SHORTS WED MAY 3 COMPETITION WINNERS & HBO APA VISIONARIES CGV3 4:30 PM | 84 MINS ENCORE: CARDINAL X GEF 6:00 PM | 91 MINS RESEBA - THE DARK WIND TUE MAY 9 CGV-BP 6:30 PM | 68 MINS ENCORE: TURN LEFT ALL PROGRAMS SUBJECT ART 6:00 PM | 80 MINS FILAM CREATIONS: TO CHANGE OR TURN RIGHT A FILMMAKER MOVEMENT CANCELLATION WITHOUT CGV1 7:00 PM | 62 MINS ARMED, LOCKED, & LOADED CGV-BP 8:30 PM | TBA ENCORE: DOCUMENTARY PRIOR NOTICE. FOR DTIND 7:00 PM | 117 MINS THE SOWER COMPETITION WINNER UPDATED PROGRAM CGV2 7:00 PM | 86 MINS 95 AND 6 TO GO WED MAY 10 INFORMATION GEF 8:30 PM | 101 MINS TAXI STORIES CGV-BP 6:30 PM | 88 MINS ENCORE: KING OF PEKING PLEASE VISIT: FESTIVAL.VCONLINE.ORG CGV1 9:15 PM | 80 MINS CHEE & T CGV-BP 9:00 PM | TBA ENCORE: NARRATIVE CGV2 9:30 PM | 70 MINS GHOST MAGNET COMPETITION WINNER ROACH MOTEL THUR MAY 10 DTIND 9:30 PM | 111 MINS WTF: WATCH THESE FILMS CGV-BP 7:00 PM | 103 MINS FANATIC #LAAPFF2017 • 1 HBO is a proud sponsor of the 2017 LOS ANGELES ASIAN PACIFIC FILM FESTIVAL ©2017 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. CONTENTS 1 Program Schedule 38 Festival Award Timeline 5 Welcome Letter 42 Narrative Competition Nominees 6 Festival Sponsors 44 Documentary Competition Nominees 8 Community Partners 47 International Competition Nominees HBO 9 Ticketing Information 50 Shorts Competition Nominees is a proud sponsor of the 2017 10 Venues 53 Programmers' Picks 13 Parties & Afterhours 55 Gala Presentations LOS ANGELES 14 About Visual Communications 63 Special Presentations 15 Become A VC Member 71 Narrative Feature Competition ASIAN PACIFIC 16 VC Member & Donors 79 Documentary Feature Competition FILM FESTIVAL 18 C3 Conference 91 International Feature Competition 22 2017 Festival Programming Overview 107 Shorts Programs 27 #StarringJohnCho 131 LAAPFF Best of the Fest in OC 28 Flash Point 2017 137 About Our Art 30 Bronzeville, Little Tokyo 138 Staff List 36 Tigers Roar: Southeast Asian Cinema 140 Special Thanks 37 Spotlight On Taiwan 141 Film Print Sources ©2017 Home Box Office, Inc. All rights reserved. HBO® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. #LAAPFF2017 • 3 4 • The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival 2017 WELCOME WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, analyses, experiences, and strat- Standing Rock activists and felt these bookends, we ask our- 2016. I walked into the VC of- egies for resistance not only the sorrow from the parents of selves, how far have we come? fice after a sleepless night. In the became a place of solace, but murdered bodies who gave a And how much further do we Archives sat Duane Kubo, Bob a space for the incitement of wailing call for the Black Lives need to go? Nakamura, and Eddie Wong. The desires. It was at this time that Matter movement. I saw a wom- Interposed is our Centerpiece VC Founders have been in the I started reviewing issues of an in a hijab and felt the exas- film highlights Justin Chon’s office gearing up for a project 1 2 perated shriek of the Japanese GOOK, as we commemorate the GIDRA1 on Densho 2 to learn called “At First Light: Asian Pacific about our histories through the American community as they L.A. Riots on its 25th anniversary. America 1970 to 1990”, a major art and writing. While I appreci- relive internment camps through The film is part of FLASHPOINT, a exhibition of films, photographs, ated the countless illustrations the implementation of a Muslim program series that looks at the and artifacts reflecting the birth featured in the monthly news- ban. Ultimately, I saw the many intersection of place, race, and of VC and the development of paper, it was Richard Tokunaga’s faces of individuals who have class in reflection of what trans- diverse APA communities, to cover of the March 1972 issue tirelessly worked to produce and pired in 1992.