Memoirs of a Superfan, Vol. 6.5: A MOTH IN SPRING, a film by Yu Gu
Short films are particularly sakura blossoms. I’m reminiscing now about one of my favorite shorts of SFIAAFF, one that exemplifies the festival’s best artistic aims.
Short films are particularly sakura blossoms. I’m reminiscing now about one of my favorite shorts of SFIAAFF, one that exemplifies the festival’s best artistic aims.
If I could hear neurons firing, they must sound like the live musical accompaniment by Jack Tung and Arthur Yeung for SUITE SUITE CHINATOWN. Neurons fired, and patches of grey matter lit up: memories, habits, foods, families – a “mind space” of Chinatown, as Supervisor David Chiu put it in the panel discussion afterwards, moderated by CAAM Board Member Dr. Konrad Ng.
The greatness of a people is best measured by the heights to which it raises its loved ones. By that standard, there is no stronghold of greatness within any country – greatness is shared by all the peoples of the world, because we all share in inspiration and interdependence. We raise each other in stories and example.
Ah, opening night….Rebellious boy feels out of place and defiant his whole life, and is finally reacquainted with long-lost relatives; the devalued, underappreciated history of his people is celebrated and finds an honored place in his heart.
The 29th SFIAAFF is the celebration of life through the amalgam of light, sound and stories from the rich history and diversity of Asian people in the United States and global Diasporas.
It’s time. Oh, yes, it’s time. The restlessness and giddy anticipation usually begins in December for me, and reaches a fever pitch by the time of the Festival Launch party, when the catalogs are delivered into our hot little hands. I spend an afternoon charting out my festival cruise, an afternoon which mixes joy, frustration, accommodation, bargaining and a twinge of disappointment, as I realize that despite my best attempts, I can’t see absolutely everything.
Superfan, writer, and psychiatrist, Ravi Chandra, reviews the International Buddhist Film Festival at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.
I recently saw TIBET IN SONG at the Lumiere. It plays until 11/18 at the Lumiere, and I highly recommend it. (There will be a DVD release next February.) Filmmaker Ngawang Choephel traveled to Tibet in the late 90’s to document folk music.
This SFIAFF, there were two outstanding movies related to adoption. I sat down with Deann Borshay Liem (IN THE MATTER OF CHA JUNG HEE) and Stephanie Wang-Breal (WO AI NI MOMMY) for an hourlong conversation during the festival.
Kit Hui’s FOG premiered at the Kabuki and Viz this weekend. I loved this film for its understated, subtle poignancy. Before the festival, I had an email exchange with Kit Hui, who makes her writing/directing debut with this film.
Beautiful memories stand out from a perfect weekend full of memorable films, friends, and events.
TODAY’S SPECIAL was on the menu, and as director David Kaplan said, the subtle message is that “today is special”. Awww, that’s as sweet as the desserts at the Opening Night Gala.