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Celluloid Heroes

Breaking the Stereotypes at the Asian American Film Festival Reviewed by Todd S. Inoue A few years back, I was outside of the Century 21 movie theater, passing out leaflets and hoping to dissuade people from paying money to see Rising Sun. I engaged in a lively debate with an exiting moviegoer. As we went back and forth, I asked, "What was the last film you saw with positive Asian images?" The man paused, then said Tokyo Decadence. My point exactly. Though Asian folks are making some gains on the wide screen, it's still premature to erect a tombstone to Charlie Chan. Can you name one actress from The Joy Luck Club who went on to mainstream celluloid success? Even more frustrating are journalists who mine the Food Metaphor Dictionary for ways to describe a movie with Asian or Asian American principals: "A zesty, comedic stir-fry that's a four-course feast for eyes and ears!" For every Jackie Chan, there's three Long Duk Dongs lurking on a tree limb, ready to swoop. So for the past 13 years, the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival has attempted to combat the negative stereotypes, showcasing what's really going on with Asian folk--here and abroad. This year, more than 60 programs with more than 100 films will be shown March 7-14 at UA Kabuki Theater in San Francisco, and at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley. The key word in this year's festival is change. Along with the ubiquitous "Who am I?" posturing, there's more "Where are we going?" questions being asked, addressing the varied concerns around the Asian and Asian American diaspora. Opening the festival is Cyclo, a film by Tran Anh Hung (The Scent of Green Papaya) and starring Le Van Loc, Tran Nu Y�n Kh�, and perennial Hong Kong heartthrob Tony Leung. The story is set in modern-day Ho Chi Minh city, where a young man (Le Van Loc) toils as a cyclo--a pedicab driver. He lives with his grandfather and two sisters in a poor neighborhood. Trying to make ends, he works hard until his bike gets ripped off. To get it back, he must commit acts of sabotage and is eventually caught up in the gangsta life. Leung plays the ultimate "mackaframalama"--a poet who's also the leader of the gang that extorts cash and pimps women to tourists. There's a great moment in this film where Leung runs his game to the Radiohead song "Creep." If you hated that song before, this scene will change your mind quick. Besides Cyclo, other future art-house winners getting a screening include Strawberry Fields, Rea Tajiri's dramatic debut (with a soundtrack by Seam's Sooyoung Park and instrumentalist Bundy Brown) and new films by Trinh T. Minh-ha, Dai-Sil Kim-Gibson and Loni Ding. Also scheduled is a crazy, late-night collection of shorts called "Asians From Mars," sponsored by L.A.'s cracked Giant Robot 'zine. Many of the filmmakers--including Minh-ha, Ding and Anh Hung--will appear to comment on their works. A special Saturday (March 9) program features The Diary of Evelyn Lau, the true story of the acclaimed Chinese Canadian author who ran away at 14 and kept a diary about how she survived on the streets of Vancouver (which became the book Runaway: Diary of a Street Kid.) The film marks a powerful performance by Sandra Oh (Double Happiness) as Lau. As an added attraction, Lau will read from her collection of short stories and poetry immediately following the film. Oh will also appear at the screening and reading. Closing the festivities is The Gate of Heavenly Peace, an epic documentary that recounts the events leading up to the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstration and imminent massacre. The festival is like a refresher course on Asian and Asian American life, supplemented by refreshing portrayals and innovative film work. After the 14th, you can go back to the Hollywood-based brainwashing machine. To get the full description of films, tap into the festival's website. [ Metro | Metroactive Central ]