CAAMFest 2021 offers a wide variety of programs, from drive-in presentations to conversations with filmmakers and more. A selection of our programming will be available for free, allowing all members of our community to experience thought-provoking panels, films, short programs and more. We’ve rounded up a list of all of the free programming for CAAMFest 2021 below.
Films & Shorts Programs
Sky Blossom: Diaries of the Next Greatest Generation, directed by Richard Lui
Tuesday, May 18, 6:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
SKY BLOSSOM: DIARIES OF THE NEXT GREATEST GENERATION is a powerful and eye-opening documentary by award-winning anchor, storyteller and community leader, Richard Lui. When viewers say they cried, they say it was because of the uplifting hope of the courage and beauty the students share with us. As young as eleven years old, they are taking care of parents and grandparents who are battling sickness. We call them Care Heroes. And there are five million of them in America.
The Donut King, directed by Alice Gu
Wednesday, May 19, 4:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
Ted Ngoy’s rags-to-riches story of a refugee escaping Cambodia, arriving in America in 1975, and building an unlikely multimillion-dollar empire baking America’s favorite pastry, the donut. Ngoy sponsored hundreds of visas for incoming refugees and helped them get on their feet teaching them the ways of the donut business. By 1979, he was living the American Dream—but a great rise often comes with a great fall.
Ricochet, directed by Adachi Jeff & Wimbush Chihiro
Saturday, May 22, 3:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
RICOCHET is directed by Jeff Adachi and Chihiro Wimbush and is an eye-opening documentary about the tragic death of Kate Steinle. Kate was walking on Pier 14 in San Francisco with her father when a shot rang out. Seconds later, she was dead. An undocumented immigrant, Jose Garcia Zarate, was arrested and accused of murder. Within hours, then candidate Donald Trump used the case to justify his immigration policies, stating that the death of Steinle was caused by San Francisco’s sanctuary city policies. The trial of the case was one of the most watched and commented on trials of decade.
Legacy and Lineage Shorts
Available On-Demand
Legacy and Lineage is a series of short films profiling the unique journeys of 5 Asian American community artists – Sammay Dizon, Genny Lim, Isabelle Thuy Pelaud, Sami See, Francis Wong – whose works consistently place community at the center. The films explore the reasons that drive these outstanding artists and legacies that may point to the direction of the future of Asian American artists in San Francisco. Produced by Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Center.
Hindsight Shorts
Available On-Demand
CAAM in partnership with Firelight Media and Reel South for the inaugural Hindsight initiative, which provides funding and support for diverse BIPOC filmmakers from the American South. In this shorts program, you will see work-in-progress previews of two of our selected filmmakers. Join Firelight Media’s Chloe Walters-Wallace as she speaks to the filmmakers afterwards about their films and their experience.
Panels & Conversations
WarnerMedia Access: Creating Inclusive Pathways Into the Industry
Friday, May 14, 2:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
Join WarnerMedia for an insightful conversation on breaking into the TV industry through pipeline programs and fellowships. WarnerMedia’s Karen Horne, SVP Equity & Inclusion, and Director Zao Wang (HBO Access ’21) will discuss diversity initiatives and WarnerMedia’s efforts to amplify underrepresented voices. Moderated by Grace Moss, VP Equity & Inclusion, WarnerMedia, this promises to be an informative and candid chat on creating pathways for emerging content creators and navigating the TV landscape.
NBCUniversal Conversation: Breaking into Scripted Television Directing
Saturday, May 22, 1:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
NBCUniversal’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion presents an in-depth conversation with directors Heather Jack, Kim Nguyen, Mahesh Pailoor and Dinh Thai as they discuss their experience in NBCUniversal’s landmark scripted TV directing programs, Female Forward and the Emerging Director Program. They will share their experience in the programs, provide practical advice on breaking into television directing and outline how they turned their first TV directing credit into the often-elusive second episode as well as future opportunities.
CAAM Conversation: Food and Community
Sunday, May 23, 1:00 p.m. on CAAMFest.com
Join us for a free live conversation with culinary entrepreneurs and community leaders, Chef Tu David Phu and Chef Reem Assil. This program will explore how the pandemic has impacted our local food communities and where do we go from here. As part of this program, we will also screen two short films about each chef: BLOODLINE (Director James Q. Chan and Santhosh Daniel) and RUNNING A RESTAURANT DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC (Director Jun Stinson).
Wong Kar-Wai and His Cinematic Legacy Conversation
Available On-Demand
This year at CAAMFest, we are thrilled to celebrate award-winning auteur Wong Kar-Wai. On day 3 of our drive-in experiences at Fort Mason Flix, we will be screening one of his most iconic films, HAPPY TOGETHER. To mark this special screening and in partnership with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, we are also hosting a special conversation about the cinematic legacy of Wong Kar-Wai. This panel will begin with a welcome from Jay Xu, Director and CEO of the Asian Art Museum, and include industry professionals: Kiki Fung, Program Consultant for the Hong Kong International Film Festival, and Bede Cheng, Managing Director at L’Immagine Ritrovata Asia. Join us for this lively conversation and celebration of Wong Kar-Wai.
You can attend any of these CAAMFest community events free of charge. Just go to CAAMFest.com to RSVP.
