The east coast’s biggest Asian-American film festival opens in Philly

Films and fun are featured during the 8th annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF). The event, running November 12 through 22, includes more than 60 films on a variety of topics from 17 countries, discussions with filmmakers, and programs focusing on food, music, and culture. PAAFF is the largest Asian-American film festival on the East Coast and focuses on exploring Asian identity via a contemporary lens.

Benson Lee’s Seoul Searching, a John Hughes-like teen comedy set in South Korea, opens the festival. After the screening, the director will answer questions. Following that, the Opening Night Reception features 1980s dance music and a costume contest.

The centerpiece of the festival, on November 14, will be a multimedia event exploring the Asian-American hip-hop scene with producer and emcee Scott “CHOPS” Jung of Mountain Brothers. (His producing credits include Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and Nicki Minaj.)

One of the special programs is the Community Screening Series “Remembering the End of the Vietnam War 40 Years Later.” Films will be shown at various locations in South Philadelphia for free November 16 through 19.

Festival picks

Jacqui Sadashige, one of the all-volunteer staff who organizes and produces the festival and a member of the documentary screening committee, attended the festival last year and was so impressed, she had to help. “I love movies,” she said. “I’m excited about seeing some of the films that I watched on my computer on the big screen, and other films that I haven’t previewed, I can’t wait to see.”

One of the documentaries she saw was In Football We Trust, which tells the story of four young Polynesian men in Utah striving to overcome gang violence and near poverty by trying to make it in the NFL. “It shows a side of football that people don’t normally see,” she said.

Another one, called Winning Girl, tells the story of a Teshya Alo from Hawaii, who wants to be a wrestling and judo world champion. The film follows her for four years. “You get to see her grow up,” Sadashige said. “You see her journey.”

And Live from UB tells the story of a Mongolian rock and roll band, Mohanik, trying to maintain their ethnic identity as they also try to create great rock music.

‘Strange and friendly’

All of the festival offerings are good films as well as something more. “Usually, you go to the movies and in the best instances you’re entertained and you feel it was worth your ten or fifteen dollars,” she said. “But you don’t usually go in knowing you’ll learn something or say ‘I never thought about something in this way.’”

Sadashige thinks the stories are both unique and universal. “It makes the world a more exciting place when you see something happening in another corner that you can relate to,” she said. “When I see these films, in a way I can’t believe they have the same questions or issues. It’s making the world strange and friendly at the same time.”

The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival will be held at International House, 3701 Chestnut Street in University City, November 12-15; then at Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street in Chinatown North, November 20-22.