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.
Freida Mock’s films are full of hope and enthusiasm for the best of human possibilities. Look for her during her conversation with CAAM on Sunday, March 14th.
SFIAAFF 2010 is a forget-me-not and a valentine, sure to awaken our hearts and minds to the deep currents that move us all.
As summer comes to a close our Superfan Ravi Chandra blogs about Maya Lin’s sclupture “What is Missing”, both a memorial to endangered species and a call to save them.
Like a fetus in a womb, I’ve been snuggled into my stadium seat in a dark Kabuki theater. Absorbing, reflecting, enjoying. This festival does nurture me and many others, as does its parent organization, CAAM. SFIAAFF brings the life of Asia and Asian America to you through the powerful umbilical cord of film.
It’s three days and 20 films since I last wrote (11 shorts and 9 features). And indeed, because of the inclement weather, the main light I’ve been getting has been the reflection from the silver screen.