30th LA Asian-Pacific Film Festival

The 30th edition of SoCal’s biggest film festival focusing on films from 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific region will kick off May 1st and will run through the 11th.

Still from "To Be Takei"

 Sundance hit documentary, “To Be Takei”, will be the opening night film. The film chronicles actor, artist, activist and icon George Takei’s life history with wit, grace and whimsy: from his days on the popular television series “Star Trek” to his civil rights and marriage equality advocacy.

The Festival Centerpiece presentation will be the road-trip comedy “Farah Goes Bang” from Meera Menon. The film follows a woman in her 20s who tries to lose her virginity while on the road campaigning for presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.  The film won for Menon the Nora Ephron Prize for groundbreaking woman filmmaker at the recent Tribeca Film Festival.

Closing out this year’s celebration is the Pan-Asian culinary/romantic drama “Final Recipe”, a Korean-Thai co-production starring Malaysian superstar Michelle Yeoh and directed by award winning filmmaker Gina Kim. The film is about a man who is determined to save his ailing grandfather’s restaurant with a victory on the top-rated Shanghai reality show “Final Recipe.” This is the latest feature from Kim, whose works have been spotlighted at the Film Festival since the year 2000.

The Festival will also pay a special tribute to Hollywood legends: Sessue Hayakawa and Tyrus Wong

Screenings will take place at various locations. Directors Guild of America will hold screenings during the Festival’s Opening Weekend. 

The Festival will also screen films at CGV Cinemas in LA’s Koreatown (May 2-8), at the Japanese American National Museum’s Tateuchi Democracy Forum in Little Tokyo (May 5-11), and at the historic Art Theatre in Long Beach on Saturday, May 10.

Official Selections:

The 2014 documentary competition line-up includes:

• 9-MAN by Ursula Liang

• CAMBODIAN SON by Masahiro Sugano

• FRED HO'S LAST YEAR by Steven De Castro

• JEEPNEY by Esy Casey
• LORDVILLE by Rea Tajiri
• THE ROAD TO FAME by Hao Wu
• STORIES FROM TOHOKU by Dianne Fukami and Eli Olson

The 2014 narrative competition line-up includes:
• BRAHMIN BULLS by Mahesh Pailoor
• CHU AND BLOSSOM by Charles Chu and Gavin Kelly
• CICADA by Dean Yamada

• FARAH GOES BANG by Meera Menon

• HOW TO FIGHT IN SIX INCH HEELS by Ham Tran
• A LEADING MAN by Steven Kung
• A PICTURE OF YOU by J.P. Chan

The 2014 international showcase line-up includes:

• 100 DAYS (Taiwan) by Henry Chan

• CONCRETE CLOUDS (Thailand) by Lee Chatametikool

• FIRESTORM (Hong Kong) by Alan Yuen

• HIDE & SEEK (South Korea) by Huh Jung

• ICE POISON (Taiwan/Myanmar) by Midi Z

• OBJECTS IN MIRROR (Iran) by Narges Abyar

• ONCE UPON A TIME IN VIETNAM (Vietnam) by Dustin Tri Nguyen

• THE PINKIE (Japan) by Lisa Takeba

• SAGARMATHA (Indonesia/India/Nepal) by Emil Heradi
• THUY (South Korea) by Kim Jae-han
• A VENGEFUL HEART (Vietnam) by Victor Vu


Bernard Palanca, Art Acuna "Kabisera"



The 2014 Festival’s national spotlight, “The New Face of Philippine Cinema” includes:

• BLUE BUSAMANTE by Miko Livelo

• DEVOTION by Alvin Yapan

• KABISERA by Alfonso “Borgy” Torre III

• REKORDER by Mikhail Red

• SHIFT by Siege Ledesma



The 2014 lineup of special presentations includes:

• AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY: THE EVOLUTION OF GRACE LEE BOGGS by Grace Lee

• AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS BY Stephen Dypiangco and Patrick Epino

• THE COTABATO SESSIONS by Joel Quizon

• DELANO MANONGS: FORGOTTEN HEROES OF THE UNITED FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT by Marissa Aroy

• FAMILY INGREDIENTS by Ty Sanga

• HULA: MERRIE MONARCH’S GOLDEN CELEBRATION by Roland Yamamoto

• PLASTIC PARADISE: THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH by Angela Sun

For program information, a complete listing of sponsors and partners, and to purchase tickets, log on to www.vconline.org/festival or contact Visual Communications at (213) 680-4462 x59.  Tickets are on sale now.



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Raymond De Asis Lo