PROGRAMMERS’ PICKS

Trouble deciding where to start amongst the plethora of amazing films? Our Festival Programmers recommend you see…

HUY CHHENG Recommends…

BONSAI by Alfonso “Borgy” Torre
BONSAI is a beautiful story that challenges and demystifies the perception of beauty and explores how far one must go to fit in. The juxtapositions of the images allow us a glimpse of life on the other side.

JUST FRIENDS by Kim-Jho Gwang-soo
No, this is not the one with Ryan Reynolds but it’s actually a better take on the idea of a relationship beyond friendship. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud (LOL)! Who better to see it with than your friends?

EMPIRE CORNER by J.P. Chan
Get out of your element and check out JP Chan’s EMPIRE CORNER. Set in New York City, this short takes you on enjoyable and emotional ride throughout the city and we end up discovering that there’s no place like home.

THE CALL CENTER by Rumana Huq
Ever wonder whom you’re complaining to about your phone bills, credit cards, cable bills, etc? Then look no further because THE CALL CENTER is a humorous look at the trainings it takes to be on top of outsourcing in customer service skills.

THE CAP by Arjun Rihan
THE CAP is an amazingly crafted simple story of a lost boy, an old man and the cap that changes everything. This powerful film will evoke you to laugh, cry, think and eventually touch you.

HUY CHHENG enjoys the art and process of filmmaking. Besides films, she likes literature, music, sushi, frozen yogurt, traveling, YouTube-ing, being random, raising awareness of socially conscious issues, anything progressive and hanging out in the 626 area. Her future goals are to learn Chinese, take a day trip to Vegas for the best Sushi buffet and living in harmony with Facebook (it is 2010 now).

JIM HERR Recommends…

POI DOGS by Joel Moffet
What a joy! This tender sweet story soars above the expansive landscapes majestically captured in the films cinematography. A must see and a must feel!

AJUMMA! ARE YOU CRAZY??? by Brent Anbe
A funny, guilty pleasure filled with aunties and co-workers we probably know all too well! Plus some other great surprises will find you.

BICYCLE by Dean Yamada
A beautiful short that is a metaphor for loss and recapture. Simply poetic, it is what the medium of short narrative was designed for.

ONE YEAR by John Raposas
I really enjoyed the performances of this clever relationship narrative. If love is blind, it certainly means we don’t see what’s right in front of us.

LOVE IS WORTH IT by Chuck Byun
From today’s headlines right to our festival, this short captures an all-too-quick glimpse into the life of Lt. Dan Choi and what his days are like in the media spotlight. Seeing this short is definitely worth it.

JIM HERR returns for his eighth year as a programmer for the Shorts Programs. Taking what sanity he has left after all these years, he serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors of Visual Communications.

ROCHELLE LOZADA Recommends…

THE GODMOTHER by Lior Chenfetz
A multi cultural comedic take on The Godfather: Love, betrayal, guns and laughs, a recipe for a good time.

I DON’T SLEEP I DREAM by J.P. Chan
Don’t expect the expected. Don’t expect the unexpected…wait, what’s happening?! Dissect this film on your own; it’s a fun feeling.

BORN SWEET by Cynthia Wade
Meet Vihn, a karaoke enthusiast and hopeful kid who is affected by arsenic water in his village. Beautifully composed, a necessity to watch.

JUNKO’S SHAMISEN by Solomon Friedman
An amazing multi-faceted tale, travel through the depths of Junko’s experience, in this well-balanced multi-dimensional visual and musical journey.

TELEVISNU by Prithi Gowda
Bright and symbolic, a fantasy world is explored through the television in this unique imaginative take on traditional and contemporary India.

ROCHELLE LOZADA fancies the arts, music and laughing. With a filmmaking background, and love for travel, she is fond of getting lost and found in films. Her journey is fulfilled by crossing paths with others on multiple levels, bringing about colorful trails everywhere she goes.

ERNEST QUIAMBAO Recommends…

STORY OF A BUSINESSWOMAN by Mikiko Sasaki
Director Mikiko Sasaki’s documentary shows a Japanese businesswoman navigating a fiercely male arena. Though her camera speaks quietly, surprising insights blindside you in this thought-provoking piece.

THE INDIAN AND THE SAMURAI by Shilpi Roy
It’s a rough life when your dreams seem perpetually out of reach. When you work at a grocery store, it’s especially unfortunate when your aspiration is to be a samurai from feudal Japan.

ON HIS WAY TO SCHOOL by Kim Gi-hyun
What would happen if someone were to live completely separated from his or her ego? Director Kim Gi-hyun shows us that, even on the way to school, there are no ordinary moments.

THREE TIMES ME by Wendy J.N. Lee
Forgotten what it’s like to see the world through a child’s eyes? Director Wendy J.N. Lee will bring you back in this hilarious short about a young girl who creates her universe with a defiant roar.

BOBA AND MELON GUM by Alice Park
Alice Park shows off her wide talent by making a collection of shorts, each with their own unique flavor. Don’t miss Boba and Melon Gum!

ERNEST QUIAMBAO has been around the VC office in various capacities since 2008. This is his second year on the Programming Committee. He studied film production at Cal State LA. Since leaving, he has worked mainly as a sound mixer and sometimes auto mechanic. Over the past year he has put a hold on production work, traveling as a gentleman of leisure.

TIMOTHY YUN Recommends…

FATHER AND SISTER by Soyeon Kim
This clever, funny, and endearing animated short is engaging from start to finish. It goes to show that the convent isn’t entirely “dead.”

HALF KENNETH by Ken Ochial
Sibling stories always seem to find a way to tug at the heartstrings and ‘Half Kenneth’ is certainly no different.

WORKS OF ART by Andrew Pang
Awkwardly funny and good chemistry from the two leads makes you want to believe in fortuitous love all over again.

MY FOUR INCH PRECIOUS by Sou Sim
This one’s a definite must-see that combines so many different elements. It’s bizarre, facetious, morose, raunchy and, above all, thoroughly entertaining.

OUT OF INFAMY: MICHI NISHIURA WEGLYN by Nancy Kapitanoff and Sharon Yamato
Great stock footage and good pacing makes this documentary feature a must-see because of its inspiring, untold story about a trailblazing Japanese-American woman.

TIMOTHY YUN was previously interning for The K.W. Lee Center for Leadership in Los Angeles. He graduated last spring from Case Western Reserve University, where he studied psychology and sociology. As a proud Korean-American and media aficionado, he hopes American society and culture embraces more Asian Pacific Americans into the media world. Tim is currently interning in Washington D.C.

FENG-MEI HEBERER Recommends…

MAMACHAS DEL RING by Betty M. Park
MAMACHAS DEL RING is highly recommended for its burst of women power, its candid look at the first cholita women wrestlers, and their fight against society’s expectations of being – and being nothing but – a mom and a wife.

FENG-MEI HEBERER cannot believe she is still in L.A. and that her Critical Studies program will nail her down for at least three more years. In-between semesters she flies back home to the old continent, where she co-curates film festival programs in Berlin. Her focus: Women filmmakers.

DARA KIM Recommends…

A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES by S. Leo Chiang
An inspirational documentary, A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES tells the moving story of a community incandescently determined to fight for what was always theirs. An empowering documentary that no doubt catches the power of community even in the midst of despair.

DARA KIM joined the Visual Communications team in 2009 as an intern. A UCLA student and a hopeful future filmmaker, she contributed to film reviews and catalogue for the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.

JOEL QUIZON Recommends…

CHILDREN METAL DIVERS (Baseco Bakal Boys) by Ralston Jover
Tracing the life of children who dive for scrap metal in the murky brown waters of Manila Bay, BAKAL BOYS is a graceful work of simplicity and mysticism that is as entrancing as its realism is staggering.

A community arts organizer and occasional DJ and filmmaker, JOEL QUIZON has previously worked in independent films in the U.S. and Philippines as well as stints in the recording industry. A CSUN, Film School graduate, Joel is currently employed by a large cable network conglomerate by day and blogs about Film and Filipino Music by night.

OLIVER WANG Recommends…

SF STORIES by Raul Jocson
A rare ensemble film that succeeds in being both funny and poignant, silly and romantic as it traces the lives of several hapless San Franciscans on their path through friendship, love, sex and rejection.

OLIVER WANG is an assistant professor of sociology at CSU-Long Beach and writes the Asian American cinema blog, chasingchan.com. This is his first year on the LAAPFF screening committee; Oliver previously served on the screening committee for the San Francisco Int’l Asian American Film Festival.

GRACE SU Recommends…

MAN OR MACHINE by Todd Angkasuwan
In this sleek music video, turntables have never looked so sexy. If you’re into DJ battles, you’ll definitely want to check this one out.

YUMMY by Patricio Ginelsa
Kid Heroes Productions’ latest music video creation is quite playful and colorful. It’ll also leave you hungry for more… or not.

LOVELY TO ME (IMMIGRANT MOTHER) by Gary San Angel
Full of rich imagery, Gary San Angel compiles a touching piece that will make you want to go hug your mom.

GRACE SU, aka “Peachies” wears many hats. She is known as a blogger (www.peachies.net), producer, actress, video editor, and avid APA arts supporter. She has been involved with VC since 2005 (beginning with Armed With a Camera) and has curated the music video program for four years in a row.

JULIE CHO Recommends…

OH MOMMY! By Jenni Trang Le
Based on the beloved P.D. Eastman children’s book, Are You My Mother?, director Jenni Trang Le and co-creator Sotheary Bou re-imagine a baby bird’s quest to find his mommy. This film has subtitles, so cuddle close and read along.

As the mom to a story-loving four year old, JULIE CHO is excited to be part of the L.A. Asian Pacific Film Festival’s growing family program, where long-time festival fans can introduce their little ones to captivating independent short movies. A former festival artist and Armed with a Camera artist mentor, Julie teaches at UCI’s Departments of Asian American Studies and Film & Media.