2021 Short Film Showcase
Join us in celebrating the Short Films made by Asian & Asian American filmmakers! This showcase features films and filmmakers you won't want to miss! There will be Q&As after each showcase so you can get to know our local talent!
SHORT FILMS
#AsianAMCovidStories
Culture Highlighted: Asian American
COVID-19 has upended lives around the world and will be remembered as a tipping point moment in global history. As Asian American non-fiction storytellers, we have a unique perspective on this pandemic, yet our stories are still largely invisible. By leaning into our strengths as documentarians of the Asian diaspora, we want to record perspectives that can disrupt mainstream narratives about Asian communities. We believe that these short-form social media stories can contribute to much-needed representation of our communities at this critical moment as well as be archived as a time capsule for future generations.
#AsianAmCovidStories
Culture Highlighted: Asian American
COVID-19 has upended lives around the world and will be remembered as a tipping point moment in global history. As Asian American non-fiction storytellers, we have a unique perspective on this pandemic, yet our stories are still largely invisible. By leaning into our strengths as documentarians of the Asian diaspora, we want to record perspectives that can disrupt mainstream narratives about Asian communities. We believe that these short-form social media stories can contribute to much-needed representation of our communities at this critical moment as well as be archived as a time capsule for future generations.
#AsianAmCovidStories
Duo Pandemia
Culture Highlighted: Black & Asian American
Quantum Elders Consciousness Vaccine is a musical series that brings the audience on a journey to search for remedies for the COVID-19 and racism dual pandemic that currently plagues humanity. Through dream-work and deep contemplation, our Black and Asian protagonists come under the guidance of sagacious beings known as Quantum Elders and voyage in multiverses that are vibrational allegories to our existence. This interdisciplinary creative and intellectual contemplation is concerned with how the intersection of art practice, playful design, and digital storytelling is interrelated with the multiverse's abstract design. We hope that our series fosters new considerations of social activism, aesthetics, global interconnection, and public pedagogy through a process of thoughtfully structured and innovative, creative collaboration between complementary aural, visual, and kinetic ritual components. Thus, Quantum Elders Consciousness Vaccine is collaborative, interdisciplinary, eclectic, and incorporates hybrid forms of interwoven creative arts, abstract storytelling, fine arts therapy, and creative practice. Traversing the transcultural intersections between arts, science, dream state, and metaphysical contemplation, we explore the power and the binding force of abstract unity, using Nature and spiritual worlds as models and for motivation, while improvisation drives its fluid process.
Culture Highlighted: Black & Asian American
Quantum Elders Consciousness Vaccine is a musical series that brings the audience on a journey to search for remedies for the COVID-19 and racism dual pandemic that currently plagues humanity. Through dream-work and deep contemplation, our Black and Asian protagonists come under the guidance of sagacious beings known as Quantum Elders and voyage in multiverses that are vibrational allegories to our existence. This interdisciplinary creative and intellectual contemplation is concerned with how the intersection of art practice, playful design, and digital storytelling is interrelated with the multiverse's abstract design. We hope that our series fosters new considerations of social activism, aesthetics, global interconnection, and public pedagogy through a process of thoughtfully structured and innovative, creative collaboration between complementary aural, visual, and kinetic ritual components. Thus, Quantum Elders Consciousness Vaccine is collaborative, interdisciplinary, eclectic, and incorporates hybrid forms of interwoven creative arts, abstract storytelling, fine arts therapy, and creative practice. Traversing the transcultural intersections between arts, science, dream state, and metaphysical contemplation, we explore the power and the binding force of abstract unity, using Nature and spiritual worlds as models and for motivation, while improvisation drives its fluid process.
Ib Tsug 13 Hnub
Culture Highlighted: Hmong
Bury Me
She Comes At Night
This film is a collection of 2 out of the 3 Horror comedies revolving around 1 theme. The theme that someone who dies unjustly will return within 13 days. This exciting anthology will have you scared, emotionally sad, and laughing your butts off.
Culture Highlighted: Hmong
Bury Me
She Comes At Night
This film is a collection of 2 out of the 3 Horror comedies revolving around 1 theme. The theme that someone who dies unjustly will return within 13 days. This exciting anthology will have you scared, emotionally sad, and laughing your butts off.
Mastery I & II
Culture Highlighted: Japanese American
The Mastery series offers a glimpse into Casey’s philosophy of life, creativity and the battle to maintain harmony as an artist.
Culture Highlighted: Japanese American
The Mastery series offers a glimpse into Casey’s philosophy of life, creativity and the battle to maintain harmony as an artist.
Mechamorphosis
Culture Highlighted: Chinese/ Chinese American
At the dawn of Chinese Robotic era, in a world where robot-human symbiosis and educational pressures collide, Yining, a young schoolboy learns to cope with the rigors of family pressure and mechanical success.
Culture Highlighted: Chinese/ Chinese American
At the dawn of Chinese Robotic era, in a world where robot-human symbiosis and educational pressures collide, Yining, a young schoolboy learns to cope with the rigors of family pressure and mechanical success.
Ntuj Tsim Txom
Culture Highlighted: Hmong
Our first ever Hmong Music Video showcased at our festival!
Credits: Actress/Singer/Song writer: Nplooj Siab Vaj Actor: Peter Phakonekham Actor/ninja assassin: Lij Thu Lis Camera/Editor/Director: Linda Vang Photography Assistants: Houa Xiong, Kevin Xiong, Anastasia Vang, Amanda Vang Melody: Zoo Hlub Yaaj Harmonies: Kao Yang Music/Mix and Mastering: Keeneng Vang Chinese Instruments/Music: Shoua Xiong
Culture Highlighted: Hmong
Our first ever Hmong Music Video showcased at our festival!
Credits: Actress/Singer/Song writer: Nplooj Siab Vaj Actor: Peter Phakonekham Actor/ninja assassin: Lij Thu Lis Camera/Editor/Director: Linda Vang Photography Assistants: Houa Xiong, Kevin Xiong, Anastasia Vang, Amanda Vang Melody: Zoo Hlub Yaaj Harmonies: Kao Yang Music/Mix and Mastering: Keeneng Vang Chinese Instruments/Music: Shoua Xiong
The 3 Day Nun
Culture Highlighted: Thai and Thai American
This is a video about Lava's journey as a Novice Nun for 3 Days at Wat Phaputthothiyan in Ubon Ratchathani with her mother and auntie. Lava's family wanted her to follow the tradition of their family being a nun (or monk) in a forest temple in Thailand. Lava was on a healing journey but ended up with a life changing experience being among their Thai tradition of a giving community.
Culture Highlighted: Thai and Thai American
This is a video about Lava's journey as a Novice Nun for 3 Days at Wat Phaputthothiyan in Ubon Ratchathani with her mother and auntie. Lava's family wanted her to follow the tradition of their family being a nun (or monk) in a forest temple in Thailand. Lava was on a healing journey but ended up with a life changing experience being among their Thai tradition of a giving community.
The Loyal Betrayal
Culture Highlighted: Japanese American
A classic black-and-white Film Noir set in the Manzanar Japanese American Internment Camp, “The Loyal Betrayal” follows Eric Koyanagi and Eleanor Hanada, trapped in the WWII prison camp in the California desert, as they take a twisted journey of love, betrayal and murder ending at a makeshift camp mess hall night club on the Fourth of July.
Culture Highlighted: Japanese American
A classic black-and-white Film Noir set in the Manzanar Japanese American Internment Camp, “The Loyal Betrayal” follows Eric Koyanagi and Eleanor Hanada, trapped in the WWII prison camp in the California desert, as they take a twisted journey of love, betrayal and murder ending at a makeshift camp mess hall night club on the Fourth of July.
Voices
Culture Highlighted: All Cultures
This piece is an ultimate expression of our struggling voices during the year 2020 — the global Pandemic and its anti-Asian discrimination in the United States, the desperate cries of innocent Black people under seize, severe climate change and its related natural disaster (wildfires for example), colonial control mechanisms, and the institution of Racism and Sexism — the Hell on this planet continue. We must fight against the single and only autarchic voice. ALL voices should be heard, understood, and respected. Through this piece, the artists call for humanity's last chance at redemption: the lessons from experiencing both pandemic and systemic Racism expose the planet’s necessity for universal balance, peace, and equality.
Culture Highlighted: All Cultures
This piece is an ultimate expression of our struggling voices during the year 2020 — the global Pandemic and its anti-Asian discrimination in the United States, the desperate cries of innocent Black people under seize, severe climate change and its related natural disaster (wildfires for example), colonial control mechanisms, and the institution of Racism and Sexism — the Hell on this planet continue. We must fight against the single and only autarchic voice. ALL voices should be heard, understood, and respected. Through this piece, the artists call for humanity's last chance at redemption: the lessons from experiencing both pandemic and systemic Racism expose the planet’s necessity for universal balance, peace, and equality.