DCAPAFF Announces Full Slate of 2022 Films
June 29, 2022
DC ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL SLATE OF FILMS
The 22nd edition of the festival will run virtually and in person from July 14 to July 17
Featuring 65 films from 9 countries
WASHINGTON, DC — The DC Asian Pacific Film Festival (DCAPAFF) announced its full lineup for 2022, which features 65 films from 9 countries. The film program highlights the vast experiences created by Asian, Pacific Islander, American, and Asian international filmmakers focusing on stories in the diaspora. DCAPAFF returns to in person screening events across the DMV and will simultaneously feature a selection of virtual film programs.
As previously announced, the 22nd installment of the festival opens with the outdoor screening of WATERMAN at Alethia Tanner Park in Washington’s NoMa neighborhood. The Closing Night film BAD AXE by filmmaker David Siev, will screen at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, MD.
"It has been both a difficult and incredible journey to get to this point in our twenty-second year of DC APA FILM," says Melissa Bisagni, DCAPAFF Festival Director. "What a tremendous honor to once again showcase an outstanding selection of films for Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islanders who don't see themselves enough on the screen."
All the films in the DCAPAFF program are eligible for the Audience Awards presented by Eaton DC. Additional awards will go to Best Director, Best Performance, Best Narrative Film and Best Documentary Film. The winners will be announced on Tuesday, July 19.
This year’s festival features a variety of free and ticketed events. To view the full program or purchase tickets, visit https://dcapafilm.eventive.org/.
2022 DC APA FILM FESTIVAL IN PERSON EVENTS
OPENING NIGHT PROGRAM — JULY 14
ALETHIA TANNER PARK, WASHINGTON DC
WATERMAN: DIR Isaac Halasima. USA.
Five-time Olympic medalist and Native Hawaiian Duke Paoa Kahanamoku shattered records and brought surfing to the world while overcoming a lifetime of personal challenges. Waterman explores his journey and legacy as a legendary swimmer, trailblazer, and the undisputed father of modern-day surfing, following the sport’s first-time inclusion in this year’s Games – a fitting tribute to his work promoting the sport around the globe. Narrated by Jason Momoa, this original documentary by Sidewinder Films (At the Heart of Gold: Inside the USA Gymnastics Scandal, Munich ’72 and Beyond), features commentary from surfing’s biggest stars, including newly-crowned Olympic gold medalist Carissa Moore, while also delving into his personal successes, struggles and humanitarianism through rare footage, contemporary visuals and incisive interviews.
Preceded by the short films ROOTED (DIR Mia Kami. Fiji) and THE GREATEST POEM (DIR Elyse Kelly. USA.)
The Opening Night program is free; an RSVP is requested.
FRIDAY NIGHT PROGRAM — JULY 15
CRESCENDO STUDIOS, FALLS CHURCH, VA
FANNY: The Right To Rock: DIR Bobbi Jo Hart. Canada.
Celebrates the untold story of a Filipina American founded, California garage band that morphed into the ferocious rock group FANNY, the first all female band to release an LP with a major label (Warner/Reprise/1970). Adored by David Bowie, the band's groundbreaking impact in music has been lost in the mists of time... until now. Fifty years later, bandmates reunite with a new record deal and a second chance to right the wrongs of history. Also starring Bonnie Raitt, Def Leppard's Joe Elliott, B52's Kate Pierson, Todd Rundgren, The Go Go's Kathy Valentine, Lovin' Spoonful's John Sebastian, The Runaways' Cherie Currie, Steely Dan's Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, CHICAGO's Danny Seraphine, Charles Neville, Gail Ann Dorsey, Earl Slick and other music legends.
Preceded by the short films ELVIS OF LAOS (DIR Van Ditthavong. USA) and WINSTON (DIR Melanie Lim. USA.)
SATURDAY AFTERNOON PROGRAM — JULY 16
EATON DC, WASHINGTON DC
BLURRING THE COLOR LINE: DIR Crystal Lee Kwok. USA.
Digging into her Grandmother’s past growing up Chinese in Augusta, Georgia’s Black neighborhood during Jim Crow, director Crystal Kwok complicates the black and white narrative while exposing uncomfortable truths behind today’s Afro-Asian tensions.
Preceded by the short film DEAR CORKY (DIR Curtis Chin. USA.)
This program is free to attend ; an RSVP is requested.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON PROGRAM 2 — JULY 16
EATON DC, WASHINGTON DC
DEATH ON EVERGREEN: DIR Sabrina Yum-Shuster. USA.
In the quiet suburbs of northern Virginia, a sudden death occurs on Evergreen street; but three middle schoolers are the only ones who suspect the case is not what it seems.
Preceded by the short films TRILL (DIR Christy Anna Wu. USA), UNTITLED MOM DOC (DIR Daniel Taylor. USA) and WHITE NOW PLEASE (DIR Kyle Lau. USA.)
This program is free to attend ; an RSVP is requested.
CENTERPIECE SHORTS PROGRAM — SATURDAY, JULY 16
LINCOLN THEATRE, WASHINGTON DC
38 AT THE GARDEN: DIR Frank Chi. USA.
In a hostile time for Asian Americans, the revisiting of an unlikely athlete’s story 10 years later gives hope and shatters stereotypes on sport’s biggest stage.
Preceded by the short films BEAUTY QUEEN (DIR Myra Aquino. Philippines.), de closin night (DIR Shicong Zhu. USA), LIN (DIR Lillian Xuege Li. USA.), PILI KA MO ‘O (DIR Justyn Ah Chong. USA.), and THE VOICE ACTRESS (DIR Anna J. Takayama. Japan.)
This program is free to attend ; an RSVP is requested.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON PROGRAM — JULY 17
EATON DC, WASHINGTON DC
DEALING WITH DAD: DIR TOM HUANG. USA.
MARGARET CHANG is rocked from her perfect alpha-mom-corporate-manager life when she has to go back to her hometown to deal with her overbearing dad, JIALUO. Her dad is kind of an outspoken jerk but is now despondent and won’t leave the house. Since she can’t deal with her parents by herself, she drags along her older sad sack brother, ROY to help her. When they arrive at their childhood home, they discover that their mom SOPHIE (equally overbearing) and youngest angry comic book nerd brother LARRY (still living with parents) are happy with this situation... As it turns out, their dad is much more pleasantly depressed than well. The siblings struggle to deal with his depression, and wonder if it's even worth getting him better. In the meantime, they reconnect as a family by bickering and reminiscing about the bad times with Dad, discovering that their familial bond is stronger than they ever realized. Preceded by the short film BEGONE LOVE (DIR Chaoqun Wang. USA.)
This program is free to attend ; an RSVP is requested.
CLOSING NIGHT PROGRAM — SUNDAY, JULY 17
AFI SILVER THEATRE AND CULTURAL CENTER, SILVER SPRING, MD
BAD AXE: DIR David Siev. USA.
After leaving NYC for his rural hometown of Bad Axe, Michigan, at the start of the pandemic, Asian-American filmmaker David Siev documents his family's struggles to keep their restaurant afloat. As fears of the virus grow, deep generational scars dating back to Cambodia’s bloody “killing fields” come to the fore, straining the relationship between the family's patriarch, Chun, and his daughter, Jaclyn. When the BLM movement takes center stage in America, the family uses its collective voice to speak out in their conservative community. What unfolds is a real-time portrait of 2020 through the lens of one multicultural family’s fight to stay in business, stay involved, and stay alive. Preceded by the short film TEN MONTHS (DIR Amie Song. USA.)
Tickets for BAD AXE are available now via the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center.
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Feature Films
CROSSINGS: DIR Deann Borshay Liem. USA.
A group of international women peacemakers sets out on a risky journey across the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, calling for an end to a 70-year war that has divided the Korean peninsula and its people. The groundbreaking mission of Women Cross DMZ is captured in an intimate cinema vérité style, framed with historic newsreels of the Korean War and punctuated with dramatic contemporary news coverage. Preceded by the short film 1992 (DIR Kuan Cao. USA.)
RICOCHET: DIRS Jeff Adachi and Chihiro Wimbush. USA.
When a young woman is shot by an undocumented immigrant on Pier 14 in San Francisco, the incident ignites a political and media furor that culminates in Donald Trump’s election as President of the United States. In the eye of this storm, two public defenders fight to reveal the truth. Preceded by the short film THANK YOU, COME AGAIN (DIR Nirav Bhakta. USA)
HUDSON, AMERICA: DIR Zuzka Kurtz and Geoffrey Hug. USA.
A portrait of America through the eyes of six Bangladeshi Gen-Z students and their conservative Muslim community, 2016-2020. Preceded by the short film STORIES WITHIN (DIR PJ RAVAL. USA)
Short Film Programs
ONCE UPON A TIME
A Father’s Son: DIR Patrick Chen. USA.
Ala Moana Boys: DIR Keli’i Grace. USA.
Eureka: DIR Miida Chu. USA.
Listen: DIR Jamie Kalama Wood. USA.
442 The Nisei Soldiers: DIR Ryosuke Hoshiyama. USA.
KIDS PROGRAM
A Fleeting Moment: DIR Allyanna Demafeliz. USA.
Can We Play: DIR Emerson Juliet Basco. USA.
Do Unto Others: DIR Angela Wu. USA.
The Flight of Banog: DIR Elvert Bañares. Philippines.
Granny Boot Camp: DIR Terry Ngo. USA.
Sky Aelans: DIRS Edward Manuga, Georgianna Lepping, Jeremy Gwao, Regina Lepping, Zahiyd Namo, Junior Patrick Makau, Manner Levo, Neil Nuia and Daniel Kakadi Solomon Islands.
Wei-Lai: DIR Robin Wang. USA.
DISCONNECT/RECONNECT
Annah la Javanaise: DIR Fatimah Tobing Rony. Indonesia.
The Balcony: DIR Anya Martin. USA.
Bigger Is Better: DIR Larry Tung. Taiwan.
Empire of My Melodious Mind: DIR Jeannette Louie. USA.
Falling in Love with A #: DIR Kohei Hirota. Japan.
Happy Birthday, You Made It: DIR Yuelei Song. USA.
Hey, Night: DIR Taha Long. USA.
Mother in the Mist: DIR Kay Niuyue Zhang. USA.
Ulim: DIR Jiin Oh. USA.
THIS SIDE OF IT: STARRING AND DIRECTED BY WOMEN
Lin: DIR Lillian Xuege Li. USA.
de closin night: DIR Shicong Zhu. USA.
The Voice Actress: DIR Anna J. Takayama. Japan.
Finding Vega: DIR Xuetong Joey Zhao. USA.
Still Rolling: DIR Liang-Chun Lin. USA.
Love & Corona: DIRS Nicole Maxali and Ratha Nou. USA.
FAMILY HISTORIES
Apple Man: DIR Lanchi Hong. USA.
Conversations at the Register: DIRS Brandon Soun and Lan Nguyen. USA.
IISE (2nd Generation): DIRS David Chang and Daniel Fickle. USA.
Last Hawaiian Sugar: DIR Deja Cresencia Bernhardt. USA.
Swept Under: DIR Ethan Soo. USA.
Mawhialeo Ote Alowha / Our Love: DIR Valeriya Golovina. New Zealand.
Novena: DIR Shirley Camia. Canada.
Secret Recipe: DIR Yuan Yang. USA.
Sinigang: DIR Derek Aiello. USA.
WORKING IN A WEARY WORLD
The Book of Joshua: DIR Paul Kim. USA.
Exhausted: DIR Tiffany Jiang. USA.
The Reliever: DIRS Dexter Hemedez and Allan Ibanez. Philippines.
Unfamiliar Familiar: DIR Hae-Sup Sin. Switzerland.
ABOUT DC APA FILM FESTIVAL
The mission of the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival is to bring attention to the creative output from Asian Pacific American (APA) communities and encourage the artistic development of APA talent, arts, and films in the greater Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Region.
ABOUT APA FILM
DC Asian Pacific American Film was established to be the beacon of creative output of Asian and Asian American media arts through community outreach, social media platforms, collaborative efforts with other Asian Pacific American organizations, and a film festival. Learn more about our programs at apafilm.org and follow us on social media at Facebook.com/apafilm, Instagram.com/dc_apafilm, and Twitter.com/apafilm.
CONTACT:
Lucky Haile, DCAPAFF PR, luckyh@apafilm.org