THE GRACE LEE PROJECT in LA
Lots of Asian American film news this weekend. First, THE GRACE LEE PROJECT opens today in LA for a one-week run. Bring a Grace Lee and get 2-for-1 tickets!
Here's a link to the LA Times review: calendarlive.com: MOVIE REVIEW - 'The Grace Lee Project'
And for those of you who might remember that Grace said her next project was about zombies, well, here's the story on that: Variety's Festivals & Markets: 'Zombie' speaks English for Korean
Full details about the LA run are below:
THE GRACE LEE PROJECT OPENS EXCLUSIVELY IN LOS ANGELES AT THE LAEMMLE FAIRFAX FOR ONE WEEK ONLY ON MARCH 31-APRIL 6
Do you know Grace Lee? Is she a nice, piano playing overachiever or a hell raiser who tried to burn down your high school? When Korean-American filmmaker Grace Lee was growing up in Missouri, she was the only Grace Lee she knew. But when she moved to New York and California, everyone she met seemed to know "another Grace Lee."
Pursuing the moving target of Asian American female identity, director Grace Lee plunges into a clever, highly unscientific investigation into all those Grace Lees who fit the stereotype and those who break the mold. The Grace Lee Project puts a hilarious spin on the eternal question "What's in a name?"
Watch the trailer at www.gracelee.net. Showtimes at IndieIn.com
Screening: 2, 4, 6, 8:15 Daily
Laemmle Fairfax Theaters
7907 Beverly Blvd (at Fairfax)
Los Angeles, CA 90048
BRING A GRACE LEE (with valid ID) to the screening and get two tickets for the price of one!
UPDATE: Another article on GLP, this one from Jeff Yang's ASIAN POP column -- By Any Other Name.
Jet Li needs extras in Vancouver!
Will the Northwest Asian acting community crumble under the weight of all these projects looking for Asian American extras? Only time will tell.
Chicago Asian American Showcase starts tonight with AMERICANESE
In case you're still catching your breath after the big San Francisco fest, watch out, because the Chicago Asian American Showcase starts tonight with a screening of Eric Byler's AMERICANESE. Eric won the Audience Award for Best Feature at SXSW back in 2002 with his debut feature CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES, and he came roaring back to SXSW this year with his adaptation of local author Shawn Wong's seminal novel AMERICAN KNEES. Once again, Byler took the Audience Award for Best Feature and added an ensemble acting prize as well. Here's some background for y'all.
- Official site of the Chicago Asian American Showcase: The Foundation for Asian American Independent Media
- Chicago Sun-Times write-up of the Chicago Asian American Showcase: Art house films
- Roger Ebert review of AMERICANESE: :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews :: Americanese
- Interview with Eric Byler at SXSW in the Austin Chronicle: The Austin Chronicle: Screens: After the Crash
- Jeff Yang's ASIAN POP column on AMERICANESE: ASIAN POP / The Man Show
- AsianAmericanFilm.com interview with Eric Byler: Asian American Film: Features
Other film festivals around town
Film festivals ahoy! Check out these other film festivals starting today in Seattle:
- Seattle Arab & Iranian Film Festival
- Official site for the 7th Annual Seattle Arab & Iranian Film Festival: 7th Annual Seattle Arab & Iranian Film Festival
- Write-up of SAIFF in the Seattle Times: The Seattle Times: Arts & Entertainment: Middle East, front and center
- Write-up of SAIFF in the Seattle P-I: Arab films display the Middle East's potent cocktail of politics and culture
- Northwest Indigenous Film Festival
- The schedule for the Northwest Indigenous Film Festival: Seattle Public Schools | Huchoosedah Indian Education - WASL Prep classes
- Write-up from the Seattle P-I: Native American film fest rolls into town
SiS is seeking Asian and Asian American actors
Our friends at SiS are looking for extras for their next "Sex in Seattle" episode. Seems like everyone wants Asian American extras these days...
---------- Forwarded message ----------
We're shooting several scenes for a video that will be part of the next episode of Seattle's longest running, original episodic show - Sex in Seattle! Episode 13: Risking it All for Love will play at the Richard Hugo House June 2 - 24, 2006.
We need Asian and Asian American extras for a shoot on the following days/locations:
Sunday, April 2 at 2pm
Kubota Garden
Renton Avenue South and 55 Avenue South
See directions below
The scene to be shot will be a fashion photo shoot. We need extras to play the roles of a make-up artist, hair stylist, and wardrobe assistant, plus extras to play autograph hounds. All ages welcome.
Sunday, April 16 between 10am - 4pm
Location TBA
The scene to be shot include:
One will be in a language classroom. Korean speakers highly encouraged. But all Asians and Asian Americans welcome. Seeking actors age 16+.
Another scene will be autograph seekers. All ages welcome.
Another scene will be of the paparazzi. Seeking actors 16+ with cameras.
If interested, please email kathy@sis-productions.org
No pay, but credit and a free ticket to see the show (plus guarantee of having the video shown throughout June.)
KUBOTA GARDEN:
From the north
On I-5, leave the freeway at Pacific Highway South/East Marginal Way, Exit 158
Turn left toward Martin Luther King, Jr. Way; continue up the hill on Ryan Way
Turn left on 51st Avenue South
Turn right on Renton Avenue South
Turn right on 55th Avenue South to parking lot
From the south
On I-5, leave the freeway at Martin Luther King Jr., Exit 157.
Stay on Martin Luther King, Jr. Way
Turn right on Ryan Way
Turn left on 51st Avenue South
Turn right on Renton Avenue South
Turn right on 55th Avenue South to parking lot
Metro Transit
Route 106 connects both downtown Seattle and Renton with the Kubota Garden. Please call Metro's 24 hour Rider Information at 206-553-3000 for the exact schedule
NWAAT update: Tasveer's Aaina / Grace Lee on GMA
Best,
Tasveer Newsletter
Tomorrow night is Aaina's Opening Night!!
Experience the only dinner-theater in Seattle. Many thanks to Central Cinema who have modified their menu to accommodate South Asian taste palate. Scrumptious sandwiches, pizzas, snacks, and CHAI will be available all weekend long.
Also don't miss Rita Meher's short film "Sitarey" featuring Udita Sharma, Farah Nousheen, and Shelly Kamran which will world premiere Opening Night.
We are including the complete schedule below for your convenience:
Aaina: South Asian Women Film Focus
MARCH 24-26, 2006
Aaina, which in Urdu means mirror, is a 3-day film focus on the works of remarkable South Asian women. Aaina will celebrate the outstanding films with themes of unfailing courage, joy, resilience, and creativity that tell South Asian women_s life stories _ of the subcontinent and abroad, of yesterday and today, beyond caste, class, and religion. All people, of any gender and race, are invited to engage in active dialog about the lives of women of South Asia. So join us for this unique event, support us in our effort, and be inspired!
Aaina will be held on the occasion of the International Women_s Month. All programs are held at Central Cinema, 1411 21st Avenue, Seattle, WA. There is no advanced ticketing or festival pass. All tickets will be available at the door. Ticket prices are available on the website.
Aaina: South Asian Women Film Focus is presented by Tasveer and made possible by the contributions and support of Humanities Washington, The Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship; Business Sponsors: Retail Therapy, Vijya and Associates, Marigold Fair Trade Imports; Community Sponsors: Chaya, Dosti, Jazbah; Media Sponsor: KBCS 91.3FM Community Radio.
Friday March 24th
7:00pm Aaina - Opening with local South Asian Women filmmakers, dancers, and community leaders.
Saturday March 25th
12:30pm Born to Sing (Shikha Jhingan, India) Explores a rich musical and oral tradition kept alive by women of Punjab.
2:00pm Shorts Program featuring Seattle Premieres, including "Saayey" starring Nandita Das
4:00pm Short Films by Beena Sarwar, a Pakistani artist, journalist and filmmaker active in the women's rights, and peace movements in Pakistan. Sponsored by Jazbah.
7:00pm Sancharram - The Journey (Ligy Pullappally, India) In rural Kerala, Delilah and Kiran, discover new feelings growing out of their long-time friendship.
9:00pm UnLimited Girls (Paromita Vohra, India) An exploration of engagements with feminism told through the conversations in an online chatroom.
Sunday March 26th
12:30pm Manjuben Truckdriver (Sherna Dastur, India) Follows Manjuben, a woman truckdriver, as she drives to various locations, breaking gender stereotypes.
2:00pm Desperately Seeking Helen (Eisha Marjara, Canada) To the Indian film mecca of Bollywood and back, Marjara searches for herself through her childhood film idol, Helen.
4:00pm Afghanistan Unveiled (Aina Women Filming Group, Afghanistan) Explores the effects of the Taliban_s repressive rule and U.S. bombing campaign on Afghani women. Sponsored by Retail Therapy.
6:00pm Daughters of Everest (Sapana Sakya/ Ramyata Limbu, Nepal) Documents the first Mt Everest expedition by an all Sherpa women team. Sponsored by Nepal Seattle Society and Bo M. Karlsson Scholarship
_________________
This newsletter is from Tasveer, a community-based not-for-profit organization promoting independent South Asian film in the Northwest. Tasveer hosts numerous screenings throughout the year and produces the annual Independent South Asian Film Festival (ISAFF). Email info@tasveer.org if you would to be added or removed from this list. Visit www.tasveer.org for more information.
MEDIA ALERT: FILMMAKER GRACE LEE TO APPEAR ON GOOD MORNING AMERICA MONDAY, MARCH 27
THE GRACE LEE PROJECT OPENS MARCH 31 IN LOS ANGELES AT THE LAEMMLE'S FAIRFAX FOR AN EXCLUSIVE ONE WEEK ENGAGEMENT
Filmmaker GRACE LEE will appear on Good Morning America Monday, March 27th in conjunction with the release of her film, THE GRACE LEE PROJECT which opens exclusively in Los Angeles on Friday, March 31st at Laemmle's Fairfax. Hailed by Variety as "a funny but complex meditation on identity, ethnicity and cultural expectations," THE GRACE LEE PROJECT is an entertaining exploration of how the name "Grace Lee" plays a part in what it means to be an Asian woman in America. An unofficial expert in the field of identity, director Grace Lee will join GMA anchors (and a number of their namesakes) to test how much influence having or sharing a name defines who you are or what you do. Good Morning America airs on the ABC network from 7 - 9AM PST. Check your local listings.
When Korean-American writer/director Grace Lee was growing up in Missouri, she was the only Grace Lee she knew. But when she later moved to New York and California, everyone she met seemed to know "another Grace Lee." But why did they assume that all Grace Lees were nice, dutiful, piano-playing bookworms? Pursuing the moving target of Asian American female identity, filmmaker Grace Lee plunges into a clever, highly unscientific investigation into all those Grace Lees who fit the stereotype and those who break the mold - from the multi-talented over achievers to a fiery 88 year-old social activist to a rebel who tried to burn down her high school! With wit and charm, THE GRACE LEE PROJECT puts a hilarious spin on the eternal question "What's in a name?"
Named one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Independent Film," Lee has directed shorts that have screened at festivals worldwide including Berlin, Tribeca and Los Angeles. Her film, BARRIER DEVICE, starring Sandra Oh (SIDEWAYS, GREY'S ANATOMY), won the 2002 Student Academy Award, a Director's Guild of America Student Award, LA Asian Pacific Film Festival's Golden Reel Award and Urbanworld's Grand Jury Prize. The film was broadcast on the Sundance Channel.
Grace Lee is currently in pre-production on her next feature, AMERICAN ZOMBIE.
THE GRACE LEE PROJECT was produced and directed by Grace Lee, edited and co-produced by Amy Ferraris, and executive produced by In-Ah Lee. Running Time: 68 minutes. Distributed by Women Make Movies.
To view the trailer or download images, please visit: http://www.gracelee.net
For all other press requests, please contact: Julie La'Bassiere 310 231 3308 or julie@redgiraffeent.com
[end]
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
Visit site: nwaaff.org
Read blog: nwaaff.org/blogs
Add MySpace: www.myspace.com/nwaaff
Subscribe: nwaaffnews-subscribe@googlegroups.com
Unsubscribe: nwaaffnews-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
More options: groups.google.com/group/nwaaffnews
Northwest Asian American Film Festival is a production of Northwest Asian American Theatre.
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
SFIAAFF 2006 starts today!
The 24th San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival starts today! Go to www.asianamericanfilmfestival.org for all the details. (Note: All the images below are from films that also screened at NWAAFF 2006!)
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
This Sunday: Wing Luke Asian Museum dinner and auction
Big event this Sunday for our friends at WLAM. More information at www.winglukeauction.org.
We will be celebrating the museum's 40th Anniversary at the 2006 Annual Dinner & Auction! An expected 800 guests will be in attendance at the Washington State Convention Center on Sunday, March 12, 2006. The goal that evening is to raise $320,000 to support museum operations and valuable youth programs. We are looking forward to having the Dynamic Duo -- Jim Jungers of Stokes Auction Group and noted Thespian Kathy Hsieh -- return as our auctioneer and reader for the night.
Those who have attended the Wing Luke dinner and auction in the past know that this is where one can find exquisite, original works of art by renowned Asian American artists such as, MalPina Chan, Darlene Nguyen-Ely, Lee Sik Lim, Gerard Tsutakawa, Romson Bustillo, Roger Shimomura, and Mira Nakashima-Yarnall, to name a few. An original oil painting, watercolor, photograph, or sculpture will bring such beauty to your home! Wouldn't you just love to go home with an original Marita Dingus or Rebecca Woodhouse, or a glass piece by Benjamin Moore, or a photograph by award-winning photographers like Barry Wong, Rick Wong, or Irene Kuniyuki?
Calls for entries from NYC's Asian Cinevision
See below for current calls for works from Asian Cinevision in New York, producers of the Asian American International Film Festival.
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION & WIP CALL FOR ENTRIES
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Deadline: Friday, April 14, 2006
ACV is now accepting submissions for our 6th annual Screenplay Competition. Screenplays must not have been produced or optioned before and [one of the] writer[s] must be of Asian decent. Previous winners include Ellery Ngiam for FORGOTTEN TEARS, Mora Mi-Ok Stephens and Sharri Hefner for GEORGIA HEAT, being developed with Janet Yang ( High Crimes, The Joy Luck Club) as producer, Eric Lin for KILGORE, Grace Rowe for SEOUL TO AMERICA, and Mike Kang for THE MOTEL, which world premiered at the 05 Sundance Film Festival and New York premiered at last year's AAIFF. A staged reading of the winning screenplay will be presented at the festival in addition to other prizes. The winner must be able to attend the staged reading.
WORKS-IN-PROGRESS
Deadline: Friday, April 14, 2006
ACV is now accepting entries for our annual Works-In-Progress Competition. Get an opportunity to get feedback on your rough cut before you lock picture. The selected films will participate in a discussion workshop at the festival, moderated by award winning writer/director Greg Pak. Filmmakers of the selected works in progress must be able to attend the workshop.
To download entry forms, visit http://www.asiancinevision.org/. ?: email: info@asiancinevision.org or call 212-989-1422.
Oscar-nominated short doc THE MUSHROOM CLUB in Seattle
MARCH 10-16 Fri-Thurs at 7pm (Prog 1), 8:30pm (Prog 2) (plus Sat, Sun matinees)
Oscar-Nominated Short Documentaries
Not everything about the Oscars is long and boring. Each year, Northwest Film Forum presents those Oscar-nominated films that you're not likely to see elsewhere the shorts! In many ways, the shorts categories feature the most compelling films. Some showcase the talents of up-and-coming filmmakers, others are passion projects by proven masters. This year, we're presenting the very best in documentary. Don't miss this chance to see 2005's finest short-form cinema! In two programs.
Program 1 (75 min.) - Fri-Thurs 7pm, plus Sat, Sun at 2pm
The Mushroom Club (dir. Steven Okazaki)
This examination of the terrible personal toll that followed the bombing of Hiroshima sixty years ago profiles ten people whose lives were marked by the explosion.
A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin (dir. Corinne Marrinan & Eric Simonson) - Oscar Winner!
This exploration of the lasting impact of radio broadcasting legend Norman Corwin's work focuses on his landmark 1945 piece, "On a Note of Triumph," which aired on the evening of VE Day.
Extras needed for local short film
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bao Tran mailto:bao@pov-films.com
Subject: bookie short film needs extras
Hey all, we're gearing up to shoot our short film "Bookie" in a couple of weeks and really excited. We've been working on it for over a year now, so it's great to see things finally come together.
I need your help, the movie is set in a 1963 nightclub with crazy music and loud crowds. We need extras to fill the club and to give a realistic atmosphere. Each person is crucial, we can't pull off the look and feel of the time without you. You'll get to listen and cheer to old school soul/r&b music. It'll be a great time, we've picked out really fun music for the band.
Our shoot days are Friday March 24th, Saturday March 25th, Sunday March 26th. Sunday is the biggest day with the music, so if you can make it out only one day, that would be the best.
You can find out more and submit yourself here:
http://pov-films.com/extras.htm
And please feel free to forward the email along to others as you see fit.
Love and peace,
Bao Tran
Persistence of Vision Films
http://www.pov-films.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bookiethefilm
northwest asian american film festival is a production of northwest asian american theatre