The Asian American Film Canon
REVISITING THE GREATEST ASIAN AMERICAN FILMS OF THE PAST 20 YEARS
This October, SDAFF Artistic Director Brian Hu teamed up with the Los Angeles Times to conduct a critics and curators poll of the greatest Asian American films of the past 20 years. With over 20 ballots received, the poll announced the first of its kind: a canon of Asian American cinema that we can watch, study, and debate. The list is designed to engage new audiences, as well as to remind us that well before the Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell, independent Asian American filmmakers, often with only credit cards and wild ambitions, had been telling the community’s stories. Now is as good a time as any to rediscover them.
Not surprisingly, many of the films on the LA Times list once played the San Diego Asian Film Festival. To celebrate SDAFF’s 20th anniversary, we’re bringing the films out of the archives and back into the community. Prior to the festival, SDAFF will screen five films from the Asian American Canon for free in the community. And during our festival, we are excited to bring four films that show the exciting range within the canon–from a hometown musical, a game-changing documentary, a new modern classic, and a crossover family comedy shown in glorious 35mm.
Sponsored by the University of San Diego.
Festival Screenings from the Asian American Canon
COLMA: THE MUSICAL
Director's Cut. The sleepy cemetery city of Colma is no haven for gays, artists, and dreamers. What better locale for a musical! This miracle indie about three Bay Area teens on the cusp of adulthood introduced the world to the inventive eye of director Richard Wong and the infectious melodies…
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IN THE FAMILY
Undeterred by bigotry and armed with nothing but decency and the help of good friends, Joey faces an uphill legal battle to gain custody of his late partner’s son. One of the most composed, uniquely intelligent, and big-hearted film debuts of the past decade.
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REFUGEE
Three young Cambodian American men who grew up in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district take a trip to Cambodia to reunite with long-absent fathers, sisters, and brothers. This landmark documentary collapses filmmaker/subject and personal/political to intimately capture the emotional swirl of resentment, curiosity, regret, and acceptance following war and family separation.
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SAVING FACE
Surgeon Wil, a closeted lesbian, must suddenly take in her pregnant, unwed mother as a roommate, while hiding a growing romance with the beautiful dancer Vivian. A romantic comedy that broke barriers in its time and sparkles as freshly today, with an all-star Asian American cast that shines.
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Pre-Festival Community Screenings
(FREE to the public)
THE GRACE LEE PROJECT / Grace Lee / 2005
Wed / Oct 23 / 9:35am
San Diego City College, Room MS 162
BETTER LUCK TOMORROW / Justin Lin / 2002
Thu / Oct 24 / 6:00PM
University of San Diego
Soles Building, Warren Auditorium
MINDING THE GAP / Bing Liu / 2018
Fri / Oct 25 / 6:00PM
University of California, San Diego
Calit2 Auditorium
AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS
Grace Lee / 2013
Tue / Oct 29 / 4:00PM
University of San Diego
Soles Building, Warren Auditorium
THE MOTEL / Michael Kang / 2005
Sat / Nov 2 / 5:00pm
Encinitas Public Library
