2022 Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival
In partnership with Denver Film

Location: Denver Sie FilmCenter

Come join us for this year's IN PERSON film festival!

Opening Film: Listen Before You Sing
Thursday, March 3rd, 2022 

Opening Night Reception: 6:00 PM
Film: 7:00 PM

Taiwan | 2021 | 113 min I Vocal
​Music Language: Bunun and Mandarin with English
​FAMILY FRIENDLY FILM

An elementary school located on the deep mountain is facing a crisis of being abolished due to population migration. The PE teacher is assigned to form a choir, and to win the national choir contest in order to solve such crisis. With limited resource and absolutely no music background, the PE teacher and a group of tone-deaf students start to prepare for the contest. On the contest day, the students hear other choir singing, they refuse to get onto the stage because they believe their voice is different therefore is wrong. The PE teacher has to lure the students to finish the contest. They do not win any place, but still get big applause from the audience. For the students from a small school, the applause from thousands of audience create a huge impact on them, which get the teacher to think if he can use choir to change the depressing situation of this school. 

Writer/Director
Chih Lin YANG

Starring
Umin Boya as “Bukut” Ella CHEN as “Yun Fen HUANG” 

Closing Night Film: Free Chol Soo Lee
Sunday, March 6th, 2022

Film: 4:00 PM
Closing Night Reception Following Film


USA I 2022 I 83 minutes I Documentary
Language: English

​Synopsis
Fresh off its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, Free Chol Soo Lee chronicles a Korean immigrant’s wrongful conviction of a 1973 San Francisco Chinatown gang murder and
the landmark movement led by Asian Americans to free Chol Soo Lee. But once released from
prison, he self-destructs, threatening the movement’s legacy and the man himself.

Directors
Julie Ha
Eugene Yi

FILM LINEUP
​FRIDAY MARCH 4TH, 2022

Keep Running
China / 87 minutes / Family Friendly

FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2022
​2:00 PM 

Synopsis
In the city of GenHe, the coldest part of China, a group of adolescent students from underprivileged backgrounds run every day under extremely harsh circumstances. The sports school has provided them with joy and hope for a better life, which their parents couldn’t. Under the strict but kind guidance of their coach, they believe that if they train hard and keep improving, there is a future.

Director
Sun Geting

MANZANAR, DIVERTED: WHEN WATER BECOMES DUST
USA/ 84 minutes / Documentary
Language: English

​FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2022
​4:15 PM 

​Synopsis
From the majestic peaks of the snow-capped Sierras to the parched valley of Payahuunadü, “the land of flowing water,” Manzanar, Diverted: When Water Becomes Dust poetically weaves together memories of intergenerational women. Native Americans, Japanese-American WWII incarcerees and environmentalists form an unexpected alliance to defend their land and water from Los Angeles.

Director
Ann Kaneko

Producer
Jin Yoo-Kim


Last Film Show
India / 111 minutes / Narrative / Family Friendly
Language: Gujarati (English Subtitles)

FRIDAY, MARCH 4TH, 2022
​7:00 PM 
​
Mini Reception: 6:30 PM
Performances by MUDRA Dance

Synopsis
Set in the remote Indian countryside of 2010, Last Film Show is an ode to cinema and the wonder movies create for all those who experience it's magic. After watching a movie at the Indian Galaxy Cinema, young, free-spirited SAMAY’s life turns upside down as he passionately falls in love with films. He steals money from his father’s struggling small tea shop, and skips school to watch movies. Samay and his gang passionately begin to create their own 35mm movie of their dreams. Soon Samay’s father discovers his nine-year old son’s ‘immoral’ obsession with the movies and physically punishes him and warns him to stay away from the ‘filthy’ world of films. For Samay it is too late as he is already smitten by the world of movies. Continuing to pursue his obsession with the movie, Samay’s path crosses with FAZAL, the projectionist at the Galaxy Cinema. They strike a deal. Samay will let him eat the delicious food that his mother has lovingly made for him.- in return for Fazal letting him watch movies all day from the projection room. In no time their "food-for-films" deal turns into an endearing long- lasting friendship. Soon however, the unlikely duo will be forced to make heartbreaking choices as an era of change is sweeping through the country -- and ultimately their dreams will be altered forever.. ​

Director
Pan Nalin
​

FILM LINEUP
​SATURDAY MARCH 5TH, 2022

Short Films Showcase
USA/ 120 minutes / Short Films/ Family Friendly 
Language: English ​

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH, 2022
​NOON 

​We are excited to showcase over 15 short films from local filmmakers all over the USA.
​Check out the link for more information on all of these amazing films and filmmakers!

2022 Community Conversations
CAPU- Colorado Asian Pacific United

​Saturday, March 5th
2:00 PM

Denver Sie Center Lobby 
2510 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206


Marvelous and the Black Hole
USA/ 81 minutes / Narrative/ Family Friendly
Language: English

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH, 2022
​2:15 PM

Synopsis
A teenage delinquent befriends a surly magician who helps the teen navigate her inner demons
and dysfunctional family with a sleight hand of magic. Kate Tsang makes an impressive feature
debut in this charming coming-of-age comedy that touches on unlikely friendships, grief, and
finding hope in the darkest moments

​Director: Kate Tsang

The Pursuit of Perfection
​Japan/ 79 minutes / Documentary / Family Friendly
Language: English, Japanese, Spanish (English Subtitles) 

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH, 2022
​4:00 PM

Culinary Experience following this film

Synopsis
Focusing on four of the leading chefs in Japan today, this documentary explores the truth behind Japan's unique and sophisticated food culture. Each takes meticulous care of their own dishes in pursuit of perfection, but their approaches are quite different, even contrasting. With different sets of roots and beliefs, some pursue spiritual cultivation or aesthetic creativity, while the others seek high-quality ingredients by building close relationships with local suppliers. How do their personalities and struggles result in their masterpieces? World-renowned food experts and gastronomists also guide the audience into the further depths of the stories behind the chefs’ endless pursuit. Through these four chefs, you’ll learn that Tokyo is one of the world’s greatest food cities.

Director: Toshimichi Saito

Love After Love
​​China/ 144 minutes / Narrative
​

SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH, 2022
​7:00 PM

Synopsis
Veteran Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui delivers a rousing romantic drama with Love After Love, an adaptation of revered writer Eileen Chang’s short story Aloeswood Incense: The First Brazier. Set shortly before the Second World War, Ge Weilong, a young girl from Shanghai travels to Hong Kong in pursuit of her education. In order to pay for her studies, she asks her aunt for help… and gradually becomes her aunt’s puppet in the game of luring rich and powerful men.

Director: Ann Hui

FILM LINEUP
​SUNDAY MARCH 6TH, 2022

2022 Community Conversations
​  AGI- Asian Girls Ignite!

​Sunday, March 6th
10:30 AM

Tattered Cover
2526 E Colfax Ave, Denver, CO 80206​

Emerging Artists Showcase
Colorado, USA/ 120 minutes / Short Films/ Family Friendly

SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH, 2022
NOON

We are excited to showcase the amazing films from our Emerging Artists!  Don't miss this year's Emerging Artists contributions. For more information on each of these films click on the button below.  
​

Yuni
Indonesia, Singapore, France, Australia / 95 minutes / Narrative

SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH, 2022
2:00 PM

​​Synopsis
Yuni is a teenage girl — smart with big dreams of attending university. When two men she barely knows ask to marry her, she rejects their proposals, sparking gossip about a myth that a woman who rejects three proposals will never marry. The pressure is building when a third man asks for her hand, and Yuni must choose between the myth of a final chance at marriage, or her dream of future happiness.
​
Director
Kamila Andini

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