SJMA is pleased to partner with the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) to present a special screening of short films that will take you on a heartwarming journey through personal stories and global experiences. The first of its kind at SJMA, this showcase brings together visions from all across the world, from Shanghai to Fremont. Many of these shorts were official selections of the 2012 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival.
Special guest Christine Kwon, CAAM’s Festival managing director (and a Bay Area native) will introduce the featured films.
FEATURED FILMS: GRACELAND
The Asian experience here and abroad has been marked by a complex history of migration, displacement, and transition. Silent and real wars rage on, while the aftermath of colonization has immeasurable impact on the individual and family unit. Whether influenced by circumstance or personable choice, the idea of a better place to be persists for migrants, refugees, and even lobsters on the run. In this collection of award-winning and finely crafted shorts, we take a trip around the world—from Australia to Malaysia to the United States—as we follow people in their pursuit of a better place and a better state of being—on the path to Graceland.
CANADA
Directed by Anjali Sundaram. 16 minutes, USA, 2007
Part memoir, part fiction, Canada is the sweet and melancholic story of a young Indian girl who struggles with her New Age mom and her younger siblings as the family attempts to move to Vancouver in a VW Bug.
SOUVENIRS FROM ASIA
Directed by Joyce Wong. 12 minutes, Canada, 2007
Antenna-toting Hanjoo is a Korean adoptee whose assimilation into North American culture is troubled, to say the least. Satirical and sassy, Souvenir from Asia examines the barriers faced by "alien" adoptees in the most irreverent of fashions.
LOBSTER SCHMOBSTER
Directed by Dave Quion, 2 minutes, USA, 2004
A joyful lobster is caught by a hungry chef. Will he help his captor make a delicious meal or make a run for it?
CROCODILE
Directed by Maura Milan, 5 minutes, Australia, 2008
A young Australian boy faces life's difficulties with the steely reserve of a crocodile in this beautifully stylish short.
A SON'S SACRIFICE
Directed by Yoni Brook, 27 minutes, USA, 2006
A Son's Sacrifice follows the journey of Imran, a young American Muslim who struggles to take over his father's halal slaughterhouse in New York. A first-generation American, Imran must confront his mixed heritage and gain acceptance from his father's community. Winner, Best Documentary Short, Tribeca Film Festival.
SOUTH OF SOUTH
Directed by Tan Chui Mui, 11 minutes, Malaysia, 2006
Set in 1984, Kuantan, at a time where thousands of Vietnamese refugees came to the shores of Malaysia, this subtle film by international up-and-comer Tan Chui Mui examines the Chinese diasporas through the eyes of a young boy.
SHANGRI-LA
Directed by Adam Smith, 6 minutes, USA, 2011
In this humorous and candid portrait, a Tibetan monk living in the American suburbs explains what it’s like to live in a land of closed doors and tract housing.
MY NAME IS SEVEN
Directed by D.B. Cheng, 7 minutes, USA, 2011
Seven is a true b-boy inside, but can he summon the courage to show it to the girl of his dreams? QuestCrew members Steven Terada and Brian Hirano star in this enjoyable short by South Bay local D.B. Cheng.
GRACELAND
Directed by Anocha Suwichakornpong, 17 minutes, Thailand, 2006
An Elvis impersonator travels from Bangkok to the countryside with a mysterious woman. The journey lasts only a night, but it leaves an indelible impression. A Cannes Film Festival selection, the short ushered in Anocha Suwichakornpong as one of Thailand's preeminent filmmakers.
—Curated by Christine Kwon
Special Q&A
Join South Bay local D.B. Cheng, director of My Name is Seven, after the film screening for a special Q&A.