Patrick Wang’s directorial debut with “In the Family” has been picking up awards and gaining accolades. Here’s more about the film:
In the town of Martin, Tennessee, Chip Hines, a precocious six year old, has only known life with his two dads, Cody and Joey. And a good life it is. When Cody dies suddenly in a car accident, Joey and Chip struggle to find their footing again. Just as they begin to, Cody’s will reveals that he named his sister as Chip’s guardian. The years of Joey’s acceptance into the family unravel as Chip is taken away from him. In his now solitary home life, Joey searches for a solution. The law is not on his side, but friends are. Armed with their comfort and inspired by memories of Cody, Joey finds a path to peace with the family and closer to his son.
The film is making its rounds on the film festival circuit. Look for it playing near you.
The Gene Siskel Film Center and the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM) present the 2012 Asian American Showcase, April 6 through 19, 2012 in Chicago. The festival encompasses comedies and dramas, probing documentaries, provocative shorts, and an array of special activities, all showcasing a wealth of talent on the Asian American scene. In addition, the art exhibition “100 Years,” featuring work by Chicago artists Wang Frank Yefeng, Cheng-Yung Kuo, and noted Chinese brush painter Qigu Jiang opens in the Gallery/Café on Friday, April 6, with a reception from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The exhibition is presented in conjunction with Chicago’s Chinatown Centennial Celebration.
MOUTHBREATHER is a short dark comedy about two lonely people who develop an offbeat romance through a prank call. Florance, a reclusive and eccentric pulp romance novel aficionado, leads a dull life alone with her cats, but her imagination is rich with fantasies of romance and love. Her apartment has become her own little cave, shielding her from the outside world with a barrier of cozy clutter, where porcelain cat figurines and portraits of Fabio fill every corner. She spends night after night losing herself in the world of Harlequin princesses and maidens who get romanced/ravaged by their knights in shining armor. This is the spice of her life. On an evening just like all her other evenings, Florance happens to make a wish at 11:11pm. A few seconds later, her daily monotony is interrupted by a phone call. At first she’s disgusted by the stranger’s lewd innuendos and sexual overtones, but soon Florance finds herself intrigued at the caller’s interest in her. Fueled by the smutty language of her romance novels, Florance begins to build an odd and unlikely telephone relationship with her stranger, revealing her desire for romance and hope for real human connection in her lonely world.
The film stars Emily C. Chang and Marc Valera. Look for the premiere soon.
The short film Keao follows a young woman’s journey of self-actualization through the use of ancient cultural practices. A young Hawaiian girl goes to work at a hotel lu’au show where she dances with a cast of other young Polynesian dancers. It appears to be a usual evening at work until she is interrupted by a new addition to her costume: a coconut bra. Here’s a message from filmmaker Kaliko Spenser:
I am constantly seeking new paths to that Ao, or light, where I can see my cultural foundation as a Hawaiian, clearly and profoundly. In search of what is pono or what is right and balanced in our lives, I begin to consider these questions: Where do we as Hawaiians draw the line between the profane and the sacred? How do we protect our culture from corruption in this modern world we live in? And what is it that will help us to reach that enlightenment of how to preserve our culture in the purest form? This story was born out of these questions and experiences I have had in my life. It is a story that I hope will inspire other Hawaiians as well as other native peoples to ask themselves these same questions.
Singer Jerry Jean recently released his EP “Fighting for You”. His vocally driven tunes offer a heavy melody, generous electronic and acoustic instruments, and abundant grooves. The songs were recorded in his home studio in Harlem, where he crafted each lyric, played every instrument, sequenced each beat, recorded all vocals, and mixed all the audio himself. The songs on the album explore love, transitions, and the pursuit of goals mirroring his life. You can download his EP on or amazon.
In a world where service men and women can get dates with celebrities like Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake to the Marine Corps Ball, why can’t high school students get a celebrity sports star to speak at their graduation. That’s exactly what the students of New York’s Stuyvesant High School is trying to do. They put together a video along with the teaching and school staff to get New York Knicks Jeremy Lin to give their graduation speech. Here’s their message to Jeremy Lin:
PLEASE come to Stuyvesant’s Graduation on June 25th at the Palace Theatre in NYC. It took a lot of effort to complete the video and we would absolutely love it if you could show up! As you saw throughout the video, you’ve been an inspirational figure, not to just basketball fanatics, but students and teachers from all over the spectrum. Putting this video together took an enormous amount of effort so if this video made you smile in any way, shape, or form, come through!! Of course, if you’re busy, we’ll be extremely disappointed but we understand that you lead a very busy life at the moment.
HOWEVER, if you do wish to speak at our graduation (please do!) then you can contact me (Eric Han) at erichan8631@msn.com, or speak directly to our school administration at 212-312-4810. Please take this into consideration! We would only ask you to be there for no more than 2 hours in the morning and you can leave before we finish so that you aren’t stampeded by a huge mob of students. You’ve got a huge fan base at Stuyvesant High School and it would really make our graduation day all the more amazing.
Sorry that some parts are unclear. We had to film during our free periods and lunch periods as well as after school when students were all over the hallways.
Will Jeremy Lin accept their request?
Update Jeremy Lins responds to Stuyvesant High School via twitter:
Stuyvesant High! Awesome video…so honored to have been invited. I cant make it BUT im making a response video and will visit if possible!
New York’s Stuyvesant High School tries to get Jeremy Lin to speak at graduation
Jeremy Lin Speaks to Stuyvesant Class of 2012
Lyrics to New York’s Stuyvesant High School rap
Jeremy Lin, could you please come to Stuyvesant?
Speak for our graduation, that’ll make us win,
You’re an inspiration for these generations of Asians,
But not just us, for every underdog in this nation,
But let’s start with something small like our school,
We voted for you, and we want you ’cause you’re true,
I think you could really reach us on a personal level,
As we go through the next step of our life, you’re our hero,
Lin-sanity’s affected us with serious gravity,
We’ll feel depravity and agony so please come and be our remedy,
We appreciate everything you’ve done in the past,
And you continue to rock on, so please speak for the 2012 class
