Daily Archives: March 15, 2009

Yellow Brotherhood by Tadashi Nakamura

Tadashi Nakamura (the same guy behind “A Song for Ourselves“) did a documentary in 2004 entitled “Yellow Brotherhood”. This piece won Best Documentary Short at the San Diego Asian Film Festival.

Here’s the synopsis of the film:

Three young Asian American men recall meeting in the Yellow Brotherhood community basketball team at age six and later discovering the incredible 30-year history of the Yellow Brotherhood, which formed as an Asian American self-help group. With remarkable stills and footage from the ’60s and ’70s, this personal documentary is an inspiring portrait of the closely-knit Asian American community of Los Angeles.

We interviewed Tadashi Nakamura at the 2009 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. Hope to have the interview up soon.

Yellow Brotherhood by Tadashi Nakamura

Ocean of Pearls

Oceans of Pearls is circulating the film festival circuit. Also it got picked up for limited release for June 2009. Look for the film coming near you. Here’s a synopsis of the film:

As a Sikh man, Amrit Singh is often the target of racial profiling. But when he sees his dreams of becoming chief of Transplant Sugery dwindle because of his appearance, Amrit goes against a tradition and cuts his hair. Hiding his decision from his girlfriend and family is only the start of a series of compromises Amrit finds himself making as he battles with health care injustices. When this results in the death of a patient, Amrit begins to re-examine the values he’s turned his back on.

Director Sarab S Neelam’s first film, Ocean of Pearls, is a labor of love of over 10 years. He felt it is needed to break down barriers just as great African Americans did for their community. Ocean of Pearls is the story of a young Sikh doctor struggling with the inequities of the American Health System and ultimately his own identity. It speaks to the universal challenge of how so many people (not just Sikhs) have to balance romance, family, ethics and spirituality in today’s complex world. He hopes it will be an inspiration to all.

It’s playing tonite at the 2009 San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival and will be presented on Saturday, March 21, 2009, 3:00 p.m. at the Cerritos Library’s Skyline Room, located at 18025 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos CA 90703-8525

Ocean of Pearls Trailer